Plans to demolish a former South Shields pub to make way for homes have been refused by councillors

Last year South Tyneside Council’s planning department received an application for a building known as the Simonside Arms off Newcastle Road.

According to planning documents, the venue was the previous home of the Caesars Den Restaurant and Bar but is now vacant.

The plans from Florence Property Developments Ltd aimed to demolish the pub and redevelop the site for housing with 13 residential dwellings proposed.

It would also include the creation of a new access road from Hyperion Avenue, a pedestrian route through the site and associated landscaping.

The application went before the latest meeting of the council’s planning committee (on Monday, February 12) for a decision to be made, and had been recommended by officers for approval.

However councillors unanimously voted to reject the proposals, raising concerns over the new access road from Hyperion Avenue, the increased traffic it would lead to, and the loss of trees.

In total 27 letters of objection had been submitted to the council over the plans, along with objections from Sunderland and South Tyneside CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and ward councillors Judith Taylor and Ed Malcolm.

Cllr Malcolm spoke at the meeting on behalf of residents “who have great concerns about this planning application”.

He added: “The objections are based primarily on the development being detrimental to highway safety and our ecology needs.

“My residents feel that not enough consideration has been given to their objections and concerns, they feel that this development is an exercise basically to cram houses on the site.

“They feel that vehicle access via Hyperion Avenue will be an unacceptable effect on the safety, wellbeing and mental wellbeing of the community.”

The development would have consisted of a pair of two-bedroom properties, nine three-bed homes and two four-bed sites.

The main vehicle and pedestrian/cyclist accesses to the proposed development would have been via two points, one from Roman Road/ Newcastle Road serving five properties, along with the new access from Hyperion Avenue serving eight homes.

In terms of car parking, each of the houses would have had off-street car parking for two cars, while four visitor spaces were proposed.

A report from council planning officers ahead of the meeting had recommended the application was approved, subject to conditions.

It said: “It has been concluded that the proposed access and parking arrangements are acceptable, and the proposed development would not be detrimental to highway safety and would not result in an adverse impact.

“The proposed development would contribute to the supply of housing and where the council cannot demonstrate a 5-year supply of housing land, and this should be afforded significant weight.

“In addition, the proposed development would make use of a vacant previously developed site within the built-up area which, again, should be afforded weight in favour of the development.”

This would have been subject to the completion of a legal agreement, a process which allows councils to secure financial contributions from developers to help mitigate the impact of developments.

This would have included a contribution of £18,256.50 towards the delivery of off-site biodiversity net gains and £5,239 towards mitigation in respect of recreational pressures.

Stephen Literland, from house building company Acland Homes, spoke at the meeting on behalf of the applicant, adding they were pleased to see the recommendations from officers and would work with residents to allay any concerns.

However, councillors on the planning committee echoed concerns from residents and ward representatives before unanimously rejecting proposals.

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Councillor Lynne Proudlock, who represents the Simonside and Rekendyke ward where the site is located, said she is not against housing on the land in principle, but the development which came forward was not acceptable.

She added: “The area is heavily congested at certain times of the day.

“I am also deeply concerned about the loss of a particularly old tree just so access from Hyperion Avenue can be gained, and the loss of more trees for the benefit of 13 homes.”

Councillor Ian Forster added if the site has to be developed it must be done in a way “where you’re not upsetting and causing hassle for people living in Hyperion Avenue”.

Councillor Geraldine Kilgour added: “I’m really not persuaded that this is a correct presentation of housing on that land and I think we really do need to listen to what the concerns of the residents are.

“It doesn’t provide the things we need to provide.”

A design and access statement submitted as part of the planning application said the development would see the demolition of a “vacant, financially unviable public house and restaurant”.

It added: “This will then be replaced with new, quality housing – which will provide financial benefits to the area, as aforementioned, making it a more sustainable use of the space.

“In addition to this, the removal of the vacant building and erection of attractive, modern housing will improve the scene of the area – while also removing a vacant building, which is vulnerable to crime”.