South Tyneside: café and cocktail bar plan to give new lease of life to Cleadon church hall

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Plans to convert a village church hall into a café and bar have been given the green light by town hall development bosses, despite public objections.

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for the All Saints Church Hall at 3 Sunderland Road in Cleadon Village.

The building had previously been used by the church but was recently made “available for lease”, according to planning documents.

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All Saints Church Hall at 3 Sunderland Road in Cleadon Village can be turned into a cafe and barAll Saints Church Hall at 3 Sunderland Road in Cleadon Village can be turned into a cafe and bar
All Saints Church Hall at 3 Sunderland Road in Cleadon Village can be turned into a cafe and bar | Google

It was intended that the café would be open during the day and that the micro cocktail / bar would open in the afternoon and evening.

A heritage statement submitted with the planning application said there would be “no structural alterations” to the building’s exterior but that internal alterations were proposed to bring forward the new use.

This included the “addition of a second toilet, the installation of a bar/café area” and an “update to the kitchen space/appliances”.

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The heritage statement added the intended use as a “public house/café will attract local residents and offer something new to the community.”

During a council-led public consultation exercise, there were eight objections to the proposal with a range of issues raised, including the plans representing “overdevelopment” and “overcrowding of the site”.

Other concerns included the development being “out of character in a conservation area”, highway safety and parking issues, disturbance to local residents, increased noise and impact on wildlife.

One objector comment also noted that there were “numerous similar places nearby for this activity” and that the “village doesn’t need any more licensed venues”.

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One representation in support was also received stating that the plan would provide “more options for the local community” and that there was “plenty of parking locally”.

During the planning application process, the applicant amended the application to include a “car parking and manoeuvring area to the rear of the building, to enable its conditional use of the area for parking associated with the development”, although no customer parking was proposed.

The applicant, in an email to the council planning authority, also confirmed the “estimated capacity” for the development would be “60-80 people” and that the “parish hall would not be available for events as per current usage by the church, but that it would be possible for the general public to book a private function through the company for use of the bar or café”.

It was also noted that the church “has a separate hall which is not the subject of this application and which is to be retained and used by their arrangement and control.”

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After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it on January 15, 2025.

Council planners, in a decision report, said the proposal would result in “no significant harm to the visual amenity of the area, the residential amenity of any neighbouring properties or the highway safety of the area”.

It was noted that the applicant had confirmed “one car parking space would be utilised by the commercial waste storage and the other spaces used by staff, therefore no parking is proposed for the customers”.

Council planners noted that “sufficient justification has been provided as to why the additional car parking spaces cannot be provided”, referenced the addition of cycle parking and concluded that the “proposed development is considered to have no significant harm to the highway safety and parking of the area”.

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The council decision report also noted representations from the applicant around the availability of paid parking and “unrestricted on-street parking” in the area, as well as the availability of bus stops near the proposed development site.

The council decision report adds: “Environmental health commented on this application and stated that they have no objections in terms of potential noise impact.

“Furthermore the site is located on Sunderland Road which a relatively busy road and therefore generates a significant amount of traffic noise.

“When considering the local establishments are also open until 2300 hours, the distance between the church hall with residential properties and the noise created from vehicles on Sunderland Road, it is considered that the proposed development would have no unacceptable impacts on the amenities of the occupiers of any neighbouring properties in relation to noise and pollution, privacy, outlook and over dominance, or overshadowing.”

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Previous floor plans set out the proposed layout for the development and how existing rooms would be re-purposed, with the proposed bar in the main church hall area, as well as an area operating as a café.

The existing kitchen was also proposed to be used as both a kitchen and alcohol store and plans indicated that an existing toilet facility would be split into “gents” and “ladies” toilets.

Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years and can “only be open to the public between 1100 hours and 2300 hours on any given day”.

Council planners added this condition as part of a bid to “safeguard the neighbouring properties from undue noise disturbances.”

For more information on the plan and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0418/24/FUL

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