Historic South Shields’ pub saved from demolition now set for new lease of life

What was once one of South Shields oldest public houses could be given a new lease of life as two family homes.

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received an application to convert the former Beacon public house in Greens Place in the town into accommodation.

New plans, from Fairoaks North East Limited, are seeking permission for the change of use, conversion and alteration of the ex-pub to create a pair of three-storey, four-bedroom homes.

The Beacon Inn is believed to have first opened in the mid 1800s and was one of the town’s oldest pubs until it closed over a decade ago.

Under the new plans, works would include the subdivision of the existing building, new rear extensions and loft conversions, as well as roof alterations, front dormer windows and rooflights.

Plans also include a parking and amenity area and new domestic entrance doors, windows and architectural detailing to “reinstate the residential character of the terrace”.

An accompanying planning, heritage and design and access statement says the two houses would “provide spacious family accommodation” while “removing the potential noise, deliveries, customer movements and late-night disturbance associated with licensed premises”.

Those behind the scheme said plans would also make effective use of previously developed land while delivering a “restrained and viable future” for a building that has “remained vacant and deteriorating for more than a decade”.

They said that “evidence of prolonged vacancy, previous residential [planning] permission, physical deterioration, absence of renewed licensed operation and repeated unsuccessful auction exposure” demonstrated that reinstating the pub use was not “realistic or economically sustainable”.

Applicants claimed that the proposed houses would provide an “alternative form of community value through regeneration, security, heritage enhancement, housing delivery and removal of antisocial behaviour”.

The supporting statement goes on: “The scheme preserves the scale of the terrace, improves the street elevation, safeguards the setting of heritage assets, provides satisfactory accommodation and reduces the potential amenity and transport impacts of the former use.”

Plans to demolish the pub to make way for apartments were previously approved by South Tyneside Council, however the scheme was never implemented and planning permission has since expired.

A decision on the plans for two family homes is expected following a consultation.

For more information, visit the council’s planning portal website and search for reference 260706.