Houses plan for derelict business park plot

NEW houses and business premises could be brought to a North Tyneside village if a scheme submitted with the council is given the green light.

Northumberland Estates is behind proposals to build 57 houses and 14 commercial units on derelict land at Backworth Business Park.

The land, on Eccleston Close, used to be part of the Eccles Colliery complex but has lain empty for quarter of a century. The plot used to be made up of coal spoil heaps from the mine and has been cleaned up and grassed over.

A planning statement submitted to North Tyneside Council claimed this means the land is “much improved” and would be a “highquality setting” for the housing.

A previous proposal from the developer was thrown out by the authority as a result of fears that 10 of the properties would be too close to the nearby Keenan’s fruit and vegetable processing plant.

The council also feared that there wasn’t enough known about the ecology.

The developer says it has addressed this in the fresh plans by building 10 fewer houses, removing the ones that would have been built near the plant.

There would be a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses, with six classed as ‘affordable’.

THE Duke of Sussex has said the “toxic” atmosphere created by the British press forced him and his family to leave the UK.

Harry, left, said his mental health was being destroyed by the coverage, in an interview with James Corden, host of the US talk show The Late Late Show.