Plans approved for Middlefields Recycling Village ‘reconfiguration’

South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, at a meeting this week, approved an application for the reconfiguration of the Middlefields Industrial Estate and Recycling Depot.

The council site currently houses a number of local authority services including highways construction, waste services and collection, fleet services and maintenance, business support and greenspace and street scene.

It also provides facilities for third party organisations relating to recycling, waste transfer and materials storage.

A planning application, submitted by the council earlier this year, aimed to revamp the site with the “construction of a new gatehouse, addition of a canopy to the domestic bin store and the relocation and addition of parking”.

Council chiefs said the work would “both rationalise and improve [the site’s] layout, so that it may operate more efficiently”, as well as “providing improvements to site safety”.

The application went before South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee for decision on Monday, October 21, at South Shields Town Hall.

A report from council planners published ahead of the meeting had recommended the proposals for approval, subject to conditions.

Council planners said the proposals were considered acceptable in terms of “highways, flood risk, drainage, ecology, landscaping, contaminated land, visual amenity and residential amenity matters”.

A design and access report noted the proposed redevelopment would help “maximise the efficiency of the site, as the demands upon the site will increase in future years”.

Works included organising the site into “defined areas” for fleet parking and staff and visitor parking (including electric vehicles), as well as refuse vehicle parking and commercial and domestic bin stores.

Plans sought to “safely accommodate the current needs of the site, whilst future-proofing the electrification of the vehicle fleet”, in line with the council’s pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Designated areas for container storage, “enhanced MOT and vehicle parking” and motorcycle parking were also proposed.

Councillors were told that the project would take place in phases to allow the Middlefields site to remain operational, and that the plans would improve surface water drainage on site with sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in three locations.

During debate on the planning application, some concerns were raised by councillors about potential flood risk in the wider area.

Councillor Paul Brenen welcomed upgrades to the Middlefields site but said he was concerned about long-standing and “embarrassing” flooding issues at Western Approach and near Kennedy’s pub.

The meeting heard that the Middlefields site itself was at “low risk of flooding” and that there were no formal objections to the Middlefields development on drainage grounds.

Later in the council meeting, councillors heard wider flooding issues in the Tyne Dock area nearby were being explored by the local authority as part of a study.

Councillor Geraldine Kilgour, referencing the committee report from planning officers, also noted the Middlefields planning application would not “worsen” wider drainage issues in the Tyne Dock area.

“I think if we just use that word betterment as you have, it will not be any worse than it currently is, so it’s not worsening an already difficult situation,” she added.

A report to councillors noted that 37 replacement trees would be provided to mitigate for the loss of nine trees and a group of conifers, and that tree losses were required to help improve the site.

Councillor Andrew Guy said the planning application represented “good development” and would be “a great project for our borough”.

“I think it will help us move into a new era in terms of managing our council services,” he added.

After being put to the vote, the plans won support from members of the Planning Committee.

As part of the proposed works, a number of buildings and structures are proposed to be demolished “to enable the best possible scheme on the site”, including derelict or temporary buildings and the “outdated” gatehouse.

Council documents clarified the scheme “does not propose any amendments to the waste management facilities onsite” and existing Suez, Remondis, Wolseley and vehicle wash facilities would be retained.

Councillor Jane Carter, deputy council leader with responsibility for governance, finance and corporate services, speaking earlier this year, said the site “has become inefficient in terms of layout and configuration”.

Cllr Carter added: “The proposed changes would maximise the current and future use and efficiency of the site, and reduce maintenance costs and energy consumption.

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“There would also be increased security measures implemented including site-wide fencing upgrades, additional CCTV, improved lighting, a new gatehouse and vehicle ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition).”

Following the planning decision this week, work must start at the Middlefields Recycling Village within three years.

For more information on the plan, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference:  ST/0393/24/LAA