Decision made on overbearing extension to building on busy South Shields shopping street

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has refused plans for 13-15 Frederick Street in the town’s Simonside and Rekendyke ward.

Plans were submitted earlier this year (2025) seeking permission for a “large rear extension of existing building (single storey, but to eaves level)” and the “enclosure of existing hardstanding rear yard”.

The plans aimed to “facilitate change of use of [the] rear ground floor to [a] separate commercial storage and distribution area”, with the “retention of lawful use class E operations to the front as a café/restaurant with ancillary takeaway/delivery”.

This included a “new shopfront and roller shutters to front and rear and new air conditioning units and new extraction/filtration, duct and cowl systems terminating upwards at flat roof level above second storey.”

The large Frederick Street unit was previously occupied by the ‘Shields Super Save’ shop and council planners said that planning permission for the redevelopment of the unit was being “sought retrospectively.”

During a council public consultation exercise on the plans there were no responses, planning documents confirm.

After considering the planning application however, South Tyneside Council’s planning department refused it on September 26, 2025.

Council planners, in a decision report, noted the proposed “change of use of the rear ground floor area to class B8 use for commercial storage and distribution purposes [was] separate to the café/restaurant”.

It was noted that permission was being sought to “retain a large rear extension to the existing building” which would “operate from the rear lane to the rear (east) of the main building”.

Council planners noted that the “lawful use class E for a café and restaurant (at the Frederick Street frontage) would not conflict with the site’s defined centre location” and that the principle of development for the new storage and distribution use would also be acceptable.

This was because the storage and distribution use would operate from the rear lane “accessible from Laygate to the north and New George Street to the south, therefore minimising the impact upon Frederick Street”.

Although council planners said the proposals were acceptable in terms of design, visual impact on the streetscene and highway safety, they raised concerns about the impact of the development on residential amenity.

It was noted that the rear extension would have a “‘tunnelling’ and enclosing effect” on a neighbouring first floor flat and would cause an “unacceptable negative impact upon this neighbour’s first floor rear windows”.

It was argued that the plans would have an “overbearing impact that results in a harmful loss of light and causes an overbearing impact upon the neighbouring property”.

The council decision report noted that while the proposal would result in “no significant harm with respect to design and visual impact on the streetscene and highway safety”, it was “unacceptable in terms of residential amenity”.

This is due to its “impact on rear elevation windows serving habitable rooms to the first floor flat at No.11 Frederick Street to the immediate north of the site”.

The council decision report said the proposal “results in a significantly harmful overbearing visual impact […] as well as an unacceptable loss of outlook, daylight and sunlight to the first floor flat at this neighbouring property”.

This was because of the development’s “siting, scale/massing and extent of projection to the rear in relation to first floor rear elevation habitable room windows to a first floor flat at No.11 Frederick Street and having regard also to the tunnelling effect and degree of enclosure which has arisen when this extension is taken together with existing built development to the immediate north and east of No.11 Frederick Street.”

The applicant has the right to challenge the council’s refusal decision by lodging an appeal with the national Planning Inspectorate.

For more information on the plan and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250290

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