Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Shields to be completely transformed a year after closing
Plans to transform a former place of worship into residential bungalows have been given the green light by council development bosses.
South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for a building at Falstone Avenue in the Harton ward in South Shields.
The building was previously used as a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses but according to planning documents submitted to council officials, ceased being used in late-2024 with new owners subsequently taking on the site.
The proposed development included “internal/external alterations including to the existing dwelling [and] new highway accesses, parking spaces, landscaping and garden areas.”
A planning application form stated “market housing” was being proposed made up of two, two-bedroom residential units and one three-bedroom residential unit.
Plans included a two-bedroom, three-person unit, a two-bedroom, four-person unit and a three-bedroom, six-person unit, with floor plans showing each residential unit offering bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and living space, with several bedrooms also offering en-suite facilities.
A design and access statement submitted with the application added plans included alterations to “improve and enlarge the existing accommodation” and that the building would be “subdivided to form three separate units all with individual access for vehicles and pedestrians.”
Council planning documents also confirmed that “an area of the building previously proposed to be demolished was subsequently proposed to be retained” and “amended plans were received on this basis and neighbours and consultees re- notified of this change.”
During a council public consultation exercise on the plans, there were seven representations in objection to the proposal from three addresses raising concerns.
This included existing parking pressures on Falstone Avenue and Summerhill Road and the proposed new driveways “reducing kerbside parking space, worsening the situation for residents and visitors”, as well as traffic safety and privacy concerns.
After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it in late-December, 2025.
Council planners, in a decision report, said the “principle of two additional dwellings at the site is acceptable” and that “the physical alterations to the buildings would be largely internal”.
It was also noted that “as no substantial extensions are proposed to the building and noting the distances to neighbouring properties, no adverse outlook or overshadowing impacts would occur to neighbouring properties”.
In this context, council planners said the “impacts in terms of general amenity, overshadowing and privacy to neighbouring properties is considered acceptable”.
On highway safety matters, council planners said “existing parking issues in the area are not within the remit of this application to enforce or resolve and are a matter for the highway authority or the police” and that the council’s highways authority had no objections to the housing plan, subject to conditions.
This included “details regarding surface water drainage run-off to the highway, and the construction of the vehicular accesses in accordance with the submitted details”.
The council decision report adds: “Residential development on this site would be acceptable in principle in land-use terms given the application site is previously developed land located within a built-up area, and surrounded on all sides by residential and commercial properties.
“Paragraph 11(d)(i) of the NPPF [National Planning Policy Framework] does not direct refusal of the application on the basis of the impacts on habitats sites.
“Therefore moving onto Paragraph 11(d)(ii) of the NPPF, the proposals are considered acceptable in terms of highway safety/parking, ecology and biodiversity, drainage/flood risk, contaminated land, and visual and residential amenity, subject to conditions.
“It is therefore recommended planning permission is granted subject to the schedule of planning conditions.”
Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.
For more information on the plan, or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250603
For the latest public notices from your area, please visit: https://publicnoticeportal.uk/