Housing planned for former Boldon C of E Primary School site, more than a decade after closure

South Tyneside Council’s planning department recently registered an application for a site off North Road in the West Boldon area.

The land formerly housed the Boldon C of E Primary School, which was closed more than a decade ago and later demolished.

In recent years, attempts to redevelop the site for housing have been unsuccessful.

This included a bid from Karbon Homes for 16 homes which was rejected by the council’s Planning Committee in 2019 and later dismissed at appeal due to concerns about the loss of trees.

Now plans from new developers aim to build a total of five detached dwellings on the site with associated access, amenity space and landscaping.

This includes four four-bedroom houses and one five-bedroom house, each with large private gardens and off-road parking.

A design and access statement, submitted with the application, states the homes will be developed by Telmac Developments, making provision for “much needed housing in the locality”.

Compared with previous applications, new plans omit land to the north which comprises an area of green amenity space leftover from when the school was in use.

A planning statement adds the current application has addressed previous concerns by “proposing a much reduced scheme which allows for the retention of all the trees on the site”.

As the site sits within the West Boldon Conservation Area, a heritage statement was also submitted to council planners.

The heritage statement reads: “It is considered that the development will not impinge on the special characteristics of the conservation area, and will be beneficial in bringing a derelict site back into use.

“The development will have no effect on any individual designated or undesignated heritage asset within the conservation area, as these are not within the visual envelope of the development.”

A decision on the housing scheme is expected to be made once a council consultation period has concluded.

For more information on the application or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning department and search reference: ST/0139/22/FUL