New shop and flats planned for former Barclays Bank building in Jarrow

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has registered an application for the former Barclays Bank site on the corner of Ellison Street and Grange Road in Jarrow town centre.

The branch closed its doors to the public in 2020 after seeing a fall in customer numbers over several years, with bosses at the time also blaming a wider shift towards online banking across the UK.

Under new plans from property owners, the vacant building could receive a new lease of life as a retail unit on the ground floor and residential accommodation above.

This includes two one-bedroom flats on the first floor and two one-bedroom flats on the second floor.

A design and access statement submitted with the plans notes the site has been vacant for years and that a “new use is required to ensure the fabric of the building does not deteriorate further”.

Proposals aim to retain the building’s external fabric while bringing forward “modest changes to the interior”, as well as retaining an existing ramped access and door to give access to the retail unit.

As part of the plans, a new door is proposed on the western elevation of the building to give future occupants of the flats a separate entrance alongside a new staircase to the flats.

The ground floor retail unit is proposed to contain a cloak room, kitchen, toilet and storage area while each flat will contain a lobby, store, bathroom, kitchen, living area and one double bedroom.

The design and access statement adds: “A landscaping scheme is not proposed for the new development because of the lack of space.

“This design development has sought to take the full advantage of the existing building and will retain many of the original features”.

A decision on plans for the former Barclays Bank site will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

For more information on the planning application or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s online planning portal and search reference: ST/0851/22/FUL