South Tyneside local plan: Housing bid for fire-hit Whitburn Lodge pub reignites sewage system row

The worries were voiced during public hearings held as part of an independent examination of South Tyneside Council’s proposed local plan.

The document aims to provide a framework for where new homes, businesses, shops and leisure amenities will be built in the borough up until 2040.

It also aims to ensure the right infrastructure, such as roads, health facilities and schools, is in place to support growth.

Despite the local plan twice being rejected by councillors, the Minister of State for Housing and Planning issued an intervention notice directing the council to submit the plan for independent examination in public.

The first stage of hearings were held over a two week period from July 8-17, with one of the sessions focusing on two sections of land in Whitburn earmarked for an indicative combined 71 properties.

This included a plot of land to north of Shearwater along with the site of the fire-damaged former Whitburn Lodge pub, which is allocated for 30 homes under the blueprint.

Speaking as part of the local plan hearings, Steve Lavelle, vice chair at Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum, raised concerns over the potential development of the two sites due to the impact the housing would have on the area’s sewerage system.

It comes after earlier this year South Tyneside Council’s planning committee rejected an application from Lovell Partnerships to demolish the former Whitburn Lodge and build 32 homes on the site.

Inspector David Spencer, overseeing the local plan examination, said he was aware there had been a decision by councillors on the planning application for the former Whitburn Lodge site, which is now “subject to a planning appeal which remains to be determined.”

He added: “I am just focusing on the local plan, and what’s in the local plan.

“I’m not dealing with the appeal, I’ve no connection with the appeal, and what is happening with that is a separate process.”

At the previous planning committee meeting a report was presented linked to regulator The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat), which a council planning report summarised as “a proposal to issue an enforcement order and impose a financial penalty on Northumbrian Water in respect of Combined Sewer Overflow discharges.”

It added Ofwat’s “draft order including reference to alleged failings at Whitburn Steel SPS and Hendon Sewage Treatment Works.”

Speaking at the local plan hearing, Mr Lavelle reiterated such concerns and said the developments do not “meet objectively assessed requirements with respect to the sewage infrastructure requirements” for Whitburn.

He said: “Over one million tonnes of untreated sewage was discharged into the environment from the sewage system at Whitburn in 2023.

“Such large volumes must cause an adverse effect to the Whitburn neighbourhood area environment.

“The Whitburn Forum has discussed their concerns and submitted evidence to officers of South Tyneside council for over seven years, demonstrating that sewage pollution at Whitburn is a significant issue.”

He added the proposals under the local plan “could be made sound after Northumbria Water has fully complied with its formal undertakings under section 19 of the Water Industry Act 1991.”

This would see it “commit to investing an additional £15.7million to minimise spills beyond compliance and improve the natural environment in the operating area.”

He continued this is per the Ofwat decision notice, and without such a solution the forum “will not support planning proposals in the neighbourhood area” and will object to schemes that are larger than nine dwellings.

He concluded this is “in order to support their campaign to stop sewage pollution at Whitburn.”

Legal representative Paul Shadarevian KC, acting for the council at the hearing, said they are “assured by the statutory undertaker [Northumbrian Water] that there is adequate capacity in the system to accommodate local plan growth.”

He added: “Whatever obligations it’s under to Ofwat in terms of undertakings, that is a question for it and its licensing and the way it conducts its operation.”

“There is nothing in that process which would prevent or should prevent these allocations being made on the assumption that the statutory undertaker will act within the law and that its assurance given to you personally at this examination are sound.”

The hearing also heard information around the historical significance of the former Whitburn Lodge site, which comprises the remains of Hope House dating from the 18th century.

Mr Lavelle said the site “was one of the first homesteads actually built in Whitburn” and dates back to around 1744, adding the forum has been approached by people calling for part of the structure to be retained.

He continued: “Unfortunately because of the fire damage since then, whether it’s feasible to preserve any of it … is another matter.”

He noted he has not seen any structural survey or feasibility study into whether or not it would be possible to retain any part of the Hope House.

Council officers said “significant damage” has occurred to the site, which has been the target of break-ins and deliberate fires since it closed in 2012, including a blaze on New Year’s Day, 2023, which destroyed large sections of the roof.

Lucy Routledge, historic environment officer, explained Whitburn Lodge is “not a designated heritage asset and it’s not on the council’s local list” but “it is accepted it is of some local interest.”

She added as part of planning processes the council would “always consider where we know there is some local heritage interest” and they would “always include that in an assessment of a planning application.”

Since the hearing Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has revealed plans to overhaul the regulation of the country’s water industry, with Ofwat set to be scrapped.

A second stage of hearings into the local plan is set to take place later this year and will consider wider policy issues.

Following the hearings, the usual procedure is the inspector will consider everything presented and let the council know if any changes need to be made to the plan, known as ‘main modifications’, and these are then consulted on by the council.