South Shields nursery gets planning green light for development which 'caters to older children'
Plans to improve a South Shields nursery have been given the green light.
Plans for new and improved facilities at a South Tyneside kindergarten have been given the green light.
South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for Harton Village Kindergarten, which sits off Sunderland Road in the borough’s Harton ward.
A supporting statement submitted to council officials said the scheme of upgrades aimed to “improve the facilities that are on offer at the kindergarten” which "caters for a wide age range of children, who are supervised by highly trained and qualified staff."
‘Much needed space’
Plans for the kindergarten included “replacing an existing ‘summer house’ style classroom with a larger ‘lodge style’ type”.
It was noted that the “improved classroom area will cater to the older children who attend the kindergarten and will release much-needed space in the main building".
Elsewhere, the outdoor play space to the front of the new lodge was proposed to be upgraded with the associated reduction in the number of hard-surfaced footpaths, resulting in an "increase in grassed space in order to accommodate a range of age-appropriate play-frames and equipment”.
During the planning process, the proposed log cabin building was relocated to allow for the retention of a protected tree.
There were also two public objections during a council consultation exercise raising concerns about impacts on privacy, noise and loss of daylight and overshadowing.
However, South Tyneside Council's planning department approved the application on May 8, 2026.
‘No significant harm’
Council planners, in a decision report, said the proposal would "result in no significant harm with respect of visual amenity, residential amenity, highway safety and parking, and ecology".
The council report added there was no planned increase in the capacity of the nursery or additional staff linked to the development and that "proposed changes to the roof and outbuilding would both form part of the existing nursery’s offering."
Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.
For more information on the plan and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council's planning portal website and search for reference 250238.