'The people of South Shields wouldn’t want that': Warning of uproar over plan to build houses on former school

The worries were voiced during the second stage of 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 sessions are to help the inspector determine if the plan is ‘sound’.

The second stage of hearings began on Monday, January 13, with one of the sessions discussing plans for land at the former Brinkburn Comprehensive School site.

The area is earmarked for approximately 151 residential units, facilities for community provision and the “enhancement of any onsite playing fields that are retained or re-provided at the site” as part of the proposed local plan.

Councillor Rachael Taylor, Green Group leader on South Tyneside Council, raised concerns over the proposed development – including how it would lead to the loss of playing pitches at the site.

Speaking at the hearing, she said: “It’s important to preserve as much open space as possible and in the town we have lost a lot.

“The council has failed to evidence that the playing fields can be suitably relocated, I think that is clear despite their best efforts.”

Deborah Lamb, council operations manager for the spatial planning team, outlined how the proposed development is on a “brownfield site within the main urban area” which could deliver a “significant amount of housing” – with capacity on the surrounding roads to support this.

She noted currently the site “supports 5.8 hectares of playing field land” and proposals would see 1.3 hectares of that retained to host an adult football pitch, a junior pitch and a multi-use games area.

The hearing was told playing pitches located on the site are currently in use by the community.

Local authority chiefs stressed they would look to offset the loss of pitches at Temple Park.

They would do this through a combination of the reprovision of pitches where they have become disused and by bringing forward pitches on land not previously allocated for such use.

Council bosses noted although “like for like” quantitative replacements “would be challenging” there would be a “significant qualitative improvement” in terms of the pitches provided.

Legal representative Paul Shadarevian KC, acting for the council at the hearing, stated there would be “greater usability than currently exists even if the overall quantitative element is slightly reduced by a net basis”.

Local authority officers noted Temple Park is a “good location” for playing pitches as the site is council owned and is an “existing hub site in terms of pitch provision” and has supported a greater number of pitches in the past which have “fallen out of favour”.

They added there is “enough evidence Temple Park is a realistic and reasonable location to provide additional sports pitch provision”.

However Cllr Taylor raised concerns over the plans, adding she did not think Temple Memorial Park “is a suitable area to use”.

She said: “It might be council managed, but my understanding is Temple Park was gifted to the people of South Shields following the Second World War on the provision that nothing was built on it.

“The land is used for recreational purposes currently, it’s well loved by the local community, to have 17-20 proposed pitches, I’m sure you’d have to fell a lot of trees. It’s counterproductive.”

She noted the council has been “planting hundreds if not thousands of trees on Temple Memorial Park” and raised concerns if the site was to be used for pitches barriers or fencing would be put up to stop people using them as a “dog toilet”.

Cllr Taylor continued: “The people of South Shields wouldn’t want that, they wouldn’t want fences round all the pitches.

“If it’s just as is with the grass with posts, I don’t see how it could have any more than what’s there now because the whole area is full of trees, hedgerows, things like that.

“I highly expect there’ll be a public campaign and uproar about these proposals.”

Charles Higgins, council property services manager, noted there would need to be consideration given to the “fencing issues” but they are “not insurmountable”.

Cllr Taylor also stressed the community facility on the current Brinkburn site needs to remain in place, noting it is “valuable for the local community” and the swimming pool is well-used by schools.

The hearing was told the proposal for the former school land would not be expected to come forward in the first five years of the local plan.

The second stage of local plan hearings continue to take place and are currently due to conclude on Wednesday, January 21.

For more information on the hearings and links to live streams residents can visit https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/24174/Local-Plan-examination.