South Shields beach huts and shops plan takes next step with new seafront application

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received a “reserved matters” application for land at South Promenade, Sea Road, in the town.

The site, which sits adjacent to the Sand Dancer pub and near the Colmans Seafood Temple, is the former site of the Frankie’s Ritz Café which was demolished decades ago.

New plans from Colmans Caterers Ltd are seeking full planning permission for “access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale” linked to a development offering “beach huts, retail pods, WCs, office, waste store and landscaping.”

A previous outline planning application to establish the principle of the leisure development on the site, submitted by South Tyneside Council to its own planning department, was approved back in January, 2024.

A design and access statement at the time noted the site could accommodate 18 beach huts, six retail pods, two toilets, an associated office, a waste store and a Changing Places facility, which is designed to meet the needs of disabled people with complex care needs.

It was envisioned that the site would offer an additional ‘coastal hub’ for both tourists and residents, serving as a family-friendly beach destination.

Those behind the development noted that “beach huts will be available for daily rental, catering to visitors of the region” and that proposed retail pods would be “offered for hire/lease, providing local entrepreneurs with the opportunity to establish seasonal pop-up shops for tourists”.

It was argued that the initiative “seeks to foster collaboration between local traders, start-ups, and the broader community, creating a year-round attraction.”

As part of the planning process for an outline planning application, a further reserved matters application (outlining the final details and design of the scheme) is needed before the development can start.

The reserved matters application from Colmans Caterers Ltd was registered with the council’s planning department on November 4, 2025, and a decision to approve would mark a key step in the leisure development becoming a reality.

A proposed ground floor plan of the site appears to show an increase in the number of retail pods and beach huts proposed, compared to outline plans, with a range of structures arranged around a central landscaped area.

Floor plans show around 10 retail pods, along with structures containing

“accessible” toilet facilities, storage and office space and a row of around 20 beach huts.

Other proposed facilities include waste storage and a “footwash area”, however, no Changing Places facility is explicitly referenced in the reserved matters floor plans.

Councillor Margaret Meling, South Tyneside Council’s cabinet member for economic growth and transport, previously welcomed the leisure development when outline plans were approved last year.

Speaking in January, 2024, the senior councillor said the beach huts would “further enhance our tourism offer and complement the ongoing regeneration of the area, which has benefited from heavy investment from the council in recent years.”

A decision on the reserved matters planning application is expected following a council consultation exercise.

Comments on the plan can be made via South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website until November 25, 2025.

For more information on the reserved matters application for the site, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250659

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