New restaurant set to open in former bank in Laygate area of South Shields

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved plans for 87 Laygate, which sits on the corner with New Green Street in the Simonside and Rekendyke ward.

Initial plans included a change of use of the ground floor retail unit to a new eatery with both restaurant and takeaway uses.

According to planning documents, the building was historically used as a bank and has operated as a ground floor retail unit since.

During the planning application process, the plans were amended to remove the proposed hot food takeaway use, which required planning permission, following concerns from public health experts.

In a consultation statement from the council department it was noted South Tyneside is “higher than the national levels of both obesity and fast food outlets”.

Public health bosses stressed a new hot food takeaway in the area would clash with council plans which seek to “promote healthier living and tackle obesity by managing the proliferation” of such takeaways.

A council-led consultation on the plans also sparked two objections from neighbours, with concerns ranging from noise and odour pollution to litter and loss of property value.

After considering the amended planning application and assessing it against policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it in May, 2023.

A report prepared by council officers noted the plans did not propose any parking but that there was available public car parking and on-street parking nearby.

The decision report also clarified the council’s decision-making powers around the application for the restaurant use, instead of a restaurant and hot food takeaway as originally proposed.

The report added that there had been two objections to the planning application received by officers during the consultation process, though these were not sufficient grounds for refusal.

It read: “Two objections have been received from nearby properties and the impact of noise from the proposed development has been raised.

“Regarding noise as a result of the proposed change of use from a retail use to a restaurant, it is recognized that this could occur from both comings and goings to/from the unit, and from noise within the unit when it is open.

“However, the change of use does not require planning permission as set out above.

“There are currently no restrictions on the opening hours of the unit. As a result the applicant could operate a restaurant use at any time of the day without the need for planning permission.

“As a result it would be unreasonable to refuse the application on these grounds or impose conditions regarding opening hours”.

Amended floor plans show how the restaurant would be set out, with a kitchen and dining area on the ground floor and store rooms and toilets in the basement.

Floor plans also noted that the space would have a public capacity of 52 people.

For more information on the planning application and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s online planning portal and search reference: ST/0259/22/FUL