Developer prepares for homes rejection
FORMER GREGGS OFFICE PLANS LIKELY TO BE REFUSED
PLANS to transform the former Greggs offices in Newcastle into a housing estate look set to be refused this week – but the developer is already gearing up for an appeal.
Newcastle firm Adderstone Group bought the former Greggs site in Gosforth in 2012 when the food-on-the-go giant moved to Longbenton.
The company has since been in discussions with Newcastle City Council over plans for a scheme called Christon Park which could eventually have more than 250 homes over 24 acres.
But an initial application to build 39 luxury four and five-bedroom homes – a reduction of the initially proposed 51 dwellings – is being recommended for refusal by council planners.
A report sent to planners says there is “significant adverse noise impact at existing dwellings on Christon Close” from remaining companies on the industrial estate where the Greggs offices used to be.
A senior planning officer concludes: “The development, whilst providing economic benefits and social benefits, these would not overcome the environmental impacts of future residents from neighbouring commercial uses.”
Now Adderstone – which is known for several student schemes around Newcastle and the Stepney Yard development in Ouseburn – is preparing to challenge any refusal, citing a barrister’s opinion that the one-off noise level which the neighbouring business can potentially generate should not be used as justification for refusal.
Adderstone Group CEO Ian Baggett said: “Given the pressure on the city’s green belt, it is essential to prioritise brownfield housing in line with the adopted core strategy for Gateshead and Newcastle.
“After years of effort on our part, the planners have done a U-turn and seem to be applying greenfield standards to a brownfield site. Any noise nuisance would impact on established housing in the area more than our proposed new houses. We are grateful for all those who supported our vision. We continue to try our best but if members follow the recommendation at committee it seems likely that we will be left with no alternative but to appeal and to try and let these sheds in the meantime to whichever industrial businesses will take them. I am sure such an outcome would be as disappointing to local residents as it would be to us.”
A council review in 2014 recommended the land be de-allocated for employment purposes, concluding that the site was “no longer fit for purpose”. Adderstone produced a vision document, outlining the proposed housing scheme on the site in the heart of Gosforth, setting out a range of economic, social, environmental, employ-
The planners have a done a U-turn and seem to be applying greenfield standards to a brownfield site Ian Baggett
ment and supply chain benefits. The plans have moved closer with Adderstone’s application, representing £10m in private sector investment in a scheme which would support 76 direct construction jobs and 115 through the supply chain.
However, a report by the council’s assistant planning director has recommended the scheme is refused at this Friday’s planning meeting, after assessments were carried out by two separate companies enlisted to measure noise levels, with the second concluding that there was “significant adverse noise” coming from a business on the industrial estate next to the proposed site.
The council also want Adderstone to contribute just over £50,000 towards sports and outdoor play equipment, and to meet a number of conditions around draining, road maintenance and open space provision. Public support for the scheme has been widespread, with more than 100 positive messages submitted on the council’s planning portal, though eight neighbours and Metro operators Nexus, which has its main depot to the north of the industrial estate, submitted objections. In recent months the site has become a target for vandals who have ignored security warnings to trespass into the buildings. Adderstone Group said it’s been working with police to secure the site, which is fully fenced with warning signs, has CCTV cameras and is patrolled by mobile security guards. Harvey Emms, director at Lichfield’s planning consultants which submitted reports on behalf of the developers, added: “We believe the applicant has addressed all planning issues. “Given the lack of availability of new homes in Gosforth, it is essential to prioritise brownfield housing on sites such as Gosforth Industrial Estate which the council acknowledge is suitable for residential development. “This is a significant decision for the planning committee because the longterm conversion of the estate to housing could deliver as many as 250 homes, over 750 jobs, economic output of £3.5m, almost £4m in resident expenditure as well as £4.2m capital receipts to the city council. There are of course much wider socio economic benefits also.”