Plans approved to convert South Tyneside pub site ‘The Jester’ into flats

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for ‘The Jester’ off Tasmania Road in the Bede ward.

Plans submitted last year sought permission to change the use of the ground floor public house to flats and to retain the first floor space above as a residential use.

The scheme proposed a range of external works including the removal of the pub’s bay windows and reducing part of the “parapet walls”.

In addition, the development proposed the formation of new ‘vehicular footpath crossings’, as well as replacement windows and doors, new rendering to external walls and new flat roof coverings.

The application was submitted by Armstrong Hall Ltd with the ground floor being subdivided into flats of varying sizes.

The planning application aimed to change the use of the entire building to four flats, along with a boundary fence on part of the site to “preserve the privacy” of neighbours.

A total of seven car parking spaces were also proposed to serve the flats, including three pairs of spaces on a paved area of the site and one single space at the rear of the property.

During the planning application process, the application was amended several times with changes to the car parking/highways layouts and external elevations of the building.

One public comment was received during a council consultation exercise, with the neighbour stating it “would be a pleasure to see [the building] converted into homes for people who need houses rather than a pub”.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it on July 30, 2024.

A council decision report said the proposal was acceptable “in terms of the principle of change of use, and the impacts on residential amenity, visual amenity of the area, highway safety and biodiversity”.

It was also noted that “there would be a reduction in noise, pollution and comings/goings to the site” and that the development “would result in an improvement to the residential amenity of neighbouring properties”.

The council decision report adds: “In terms of the impacts on future occupiers, it is considered that the proposed apartments would be of a suitable size and would provide adequate internal amenity space for the proposed number of occupants.

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“As noted above, there is a row of commercial properties to the northwest of the site, however the council’s environmental health team have not raised any concerns regarding noise and disturbance from these uses resulting in significant harm to the residential amenity of the proposed apartments in terms of noise and/or odour pollution”.

Previous floor plans noted that the majority of self-contained flats would be on the ground floor offering living areas, kitchen space and bathrooms.

A submitted planning application added the building was vacant and had not operated as a pub for several months.

Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.

For more information on the plan or council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0479/23/FUL.