South Shields: Crunch meeting decides fate of Beach Road listed building eyed for affordable flats
Plans to convert a listed building in South Shields into apartments have been narrowly approved by councillors.
South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, at a meeting this week, approved an application for 11 Beach Road in the town, near South Shields Town Hall.
During the planning application process however, the number of proposed apartments were reduced from nine to seven and a previously proposed rear extension was altered from a three-storey build to a two-storey extension.
Council planning documents state the housing mix of the seven self-contained apartments would be five studio apartments, one one-bedroom apartment and one two-bedroom apartment, all for “social, affordable or intermediate rent.”
During a council consultation on the original plans for nine apartments, there were representations from Beacon and Bents ward councillors Sue Stonehouse and David Francis raising concerns about the scheme.
Issues raised included the plans representing a house in multiple occupation (HMO), along with existing issues with HMO property types in the area and concerns about increased noise and disturbance and new plans having an “adverse effect on the character of the neighbourhood.”
Three public representations were also received during the council consultation raising similar concerns about the “oversupply” of HMOs in the area “causing major problems with antisocial behaviour and breakdown in the community.”
Council planning documents stated “comments relate to the original proposal and no representations were received in relation to the amended proposal” for seven apartments.
It was noted that the site sits within an area where permitted development rights for HMO conversions have been removed, which means “if planning permission was granted for this scheme and it was constructed, that further planning permission would be required from the council should anyone in the future wish to use the property either in whole or part for HMO purposes.”
The plans were presented for decision at Monday’s (July 21, 2025) Planning Committee where the application was eventually approved by a majority vote.
Some concerns were raised about the design of the scheme around windows in part of the property, given its listed status, and other concerns included the change of use of the property to residential.
Although council planners noted the site was in a mixed-use area and was not classed as a house in multiple occupation (as it was self-contained flats), some councillors suggested the proposal could have the same impacts as an HMO.
Councillor Paul Brenen said he was concerned that the plans for Beach Road would “change the very nature of the street by allowing properties like this to be converted”.
Cllr Brenen suggested this would not be a positive change due to antisocial behaviour issues and on the apartment proposals, stated there was a “concentration of too many in one area.”
Meanwhile, councillor David Kennedy said the plans would still effectively create an HMO as it would be “one house that contains seven individual units”.
Cllr Kennedy added the plans would “change the characteristic of the street” and could lead to more applications for similar uses in this part of Beach Road.
Elsewhere, councillor Joan Keegan stressed that the application was for self-contained apartments and not a HMO use, or whatever application may come in future.
After being put to the vote, the apartment plans for 11 Beach Road were approved with six votes in favour and five votes against.
A council committee report said that the revised apartments scheme was acceptable in terms of design and that there were no concerns from the council’s historic environment officer, subject to conditions.
It was also noted that a “tandem application” for listed building consent [ST/0461/24/LBC] would be determined by council planning officers (separate to the Planning Committee) under “delegated powers”.
On parking matters, council planners said the proposed level of car parking and cycle parking for the Beach Road scheme was acceptable, given the site’s location near public transport and footpath links.
The council committee report added: “Some harm arises from the proposal in terms of residential amenity and heritage impacts, although the heritage harm arising has been considered alongside the public benefits of the proposal, which are considered to outweigh the less than substantial heritage harm arising.
“The proposal is also considered acceptable in terms of housing mix /tenure, highways, parking, cycle parking and refuse storage, design, ecology matters and drainage subject to conditions.”
It was noted that similar “acoustic mitigation measures” to windows aimed at reducing noise impacts from the South Shields Town Hall “clock chimes” would be implemented at 11 Beach Road prior to occupation.
For more information on the plan and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0479/24/FUL