Plans submitted for major affordable housing scheme in South Shields

South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee has approved an application for land at Lord Nelson Street, which sits off Hudson Street near the Port of Tyne.

Initial plans from developers Keepmoat Homes North East aimed to build 71 affordable homes along with access works, landscaping, sustainable drainage and associated infrastructure.

During the planning application process, however, the development was scaled back to 66 dwellings, with previously proposed apartments in the scheme being removed.

This included the removal of 10 apartments and replacement with five dwellings.

The final housing scheme, which was approved by councillors this week, includes a mix of 28 two-bedroom homes and 38 three-bedroom homes.

The main site access will be taken from Lord Nelson Street with proposed designs focusing mainly on terraces, with developers aiming to “maintain a safe and welcoming environment for the neighbourhood”.

Applicants previously said the plans would “deliver much-needed affordable homes, contribute to South Tyneside Council’s housing requirements and assist in the regeneration of this part of South Shields”.

Plans were formally considered, and approved, by South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee at South Shields Town Hall on March 11, 2024.

The plans are subject to a section 106 agreement being completed, which allows the council to secure financial contributions from developers towards local improvements.

In the case of land at Lord Nelson Street, the agreement would include £5,000 towards parking restrictions at the junction of Lord Nelson Street with Hudson Street.

Other contributions include around £26,500 towards ecology issues, including mitigating the recreational impacts of the development on the Durham Coast Special Area of Conservation and Northumbria Coast Special Protection Area.

In response to questions from several members of the Planning Committee this week, council planners said issues around flood risk and drainage on site were acceptable.

It was also confirmed that the reduction in the number of dwellings had not changed the “building blocks” of the housing scheme significantly.

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Councillor Andrew Guy welcomed the plan and said the land had been “waiting for housing for quite some time now”.

Councillor Shirley Ford noted the site once included council housing offering social rent and that the shift to affordable rent properties, at up to 80 per cent of market rent, represented a “loss of council social rent properties”.

While acknowledging this was the case, council planners noted South Tyneside Council was progressing planning applications for new council homes elsewhere in the borough.

Councillor Eileen Leask, speaking on the South Shields Keepmoat Homes scheme, added: “I think it’s a very good development and it’s much-needed housing and we desperately need the housing.

“It’s a much better plan than the old flats that were there […] and I would like to propose it for approval”.

After being put to the vote, the plans won unanimous support across the council chamber.

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

Council planning documents state the proposals would be “delivered by a registered provider” upon completion.