New container café near Shields Ferry shrinks in size over fears it might not be viable

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for a vacant parcel of land at Ferry Street in the town, near The Word Library.

The site sits near the access point to the Shields Ferry and was previously identified as a development area as part of the local authority’s town centre regeneration plans.

In early 2024, a planning application from ‘Ferry View Limited’ was submitted to council officials proposing a new “container café” on the council-owned site with an associated toilet, as well as a bike store and seating area.

The ‘Ferry View’ development aimed to provide a “gourmet deli” food and drink offer, with a mix of hot and cold drinks and sandwiches and toasties, as well as offering bike hire services.

A design and access statement said the development would be created from “converted containers” and would “provide a contemporary and high-quality café and ancillary facilities to local commuters and people using the coastal bike route running parallel to the site”.

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Following a council public consultation exercise however, around 19 objections were submitted raising concerns about the loss of green space, impacts on views, impacts on the setting of the Grade II-listed Alum Ale House, anti-social behaviour, increased noise and more.

But councillor David Francis, Beacon and Bents ward representative, said the development would “make good use” of a vacant site and “help encourage cycling/active travel and draw more visitors to South Shields town centre”.

The plans were officially approved on September 5, 2024 and it was hoped that the development would be up and running in November, 2024.

However, fresh plans were registered for the development site in January, 2025, with developers seeking permission to tweak the previously approved plans, including erecting smaller buildings on site.

Those behind the plan said the changes were being proposed following a “further costing exercise” and “in an effort to make the development viable”.

Changes included reducing container sizes “to 20ft from 30ft”, adjusting their positions to “suit on-site levels” and reducing proposed retaining structures.

In addition, the lower terraced seating area and “sail canopies” were proposed to be removed, as well as the block paving area being reduced and materials changed.

Revised plans confirmed the scheme would still include a café building, bike racks, a cycle store building and a toilet building with an accessible toilet, along with shrub planting to the perimeter of the site and a large outdoor seating area with around 18 tables.

During a further council public consultation on the revised plans, there was one objection noting existing cafés, public toilets and public seating in the area and questioning the sustainability of the proposed development.

The objector said the development would “generate noise, rubbish and more rowdy behaviour” and that there were “lots of empty premises in King Street ready for use instead.”

After considering the revised planning application and assessing it against planning policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it on March 4, 2025.

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The council’s historic environment officer said the development was “contemporary in design, with a mix of materials that should work well together” and would “not cause harm to the setting” of the listed Alum Ale House building.

Council planners, in a decision report, added there were no objections to the development from the council’s community safety team or Northumbria Police and that littering and waste issues would be a “matter for the operator”.

It was also noted that “competition grounds are not a material planning consideration and cannot be afforded weight in the decision making process”.

The council decision report adds: “Given the nature of the development (including its location, scale and massing) and considering the previously approved scheme, it is not considered any neighbouring property would be adversely affected by way of amenity, privacy or overshadowing (and whereby this would justify refusal).

“It is noted these residential properties are located within the defined town centre where a range of uses, including late night uses, are considered acceptable.

“However, a planning condition restricting the hours of use of the site from 7am to 7pm daily (as per the previous application) is considered reasonable given the proximity of these properties and the outdoor nature of the proposed use/development, and considering it falls outside the town centre boundary.”

The container café development has been developed with the council and the future operator of the café has previously been named as the same team behind Green Fingers Garden Centre in South Shields.

Those behind the scheme previously said the development was expected to create new jobs and would be a “family-run business” with a “community focus”.

The containers for the café development are expected to be prefabricated and ‘dropped’ onto the development site and applicants said the development would “provide a service” for a key transportation link and a “cycle hub” for a major cycle route.

It is also hoped that the development will benefit from plans to relocate South Tyneside College to King Street in South Shields, as well as investment to build a new multi-million-pound landing for the Shields Ferry at North Shields Fish Quay.

Under planning conditions, the container café development in South Shields “must be commenced not later than September 4, 2027.

For more information on the plan, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search application reference number: ST/0748/24