South Shields Ocean Road B&B to become home once more after plans approved

Earlier this year, a planning application was lodged with South Tyneside Council for Comfort House at 109 Ocean Road, South Shields.

The property is surrounded by a mixture of residential properties and commercial uses, including hotel and guest houses, cafe/ restaurants and hot food takeaways.

Following consultation, the borough council’s planning department approved the plans on March 9,2021.

In a decision notice, council planners said the property is located within a ‘designated guest and boarding housing policy area of South Shields town centre and waterfront area action plan.’

One policy in the plan aims to ‘control’ the further creation of guest houses and similar low-cost hotel accommodation within the Lawe Top area, to help minimise any “potentially adverse impacts on the neighbouring residential amenity”, particularly in areas with a large number of single family homes.

The council report states the planning application for Comfort House in Ocean Road was acceptable and would “reduce the potential adverse impact on amenity (resulting from guest houses and similar low cost accommodation), due to the loss of an existing bed and breakfast.”

It goes on to say: “As highlighted, as well as residential dwellings, there is a mixture of commercial uses within the surroundings of the application site.

“The adjoining property of 107 Ocean Road is occupied by Rosebank Guest House, while the neighbouring property of 111 Ocean Road (to the other side of the site) is a residential dwelling.

“It is not considered that the proposed residential use would result in material harm to the amenity of surrounding properties through an unacceptable increase in noise or disturbance.

“This is having regard to the range of uses within the immediate area, as well as the current use of the property as a bed and breakfast; and the potential level of activity at the site in connection with this.”

Under planning conditions, the change of use must be brought forward within the next three years.

For more information on the application, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal and search reference: ST/0119/21/FUL

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