Permission sought for homes by green belt

PLANS have been lodged for a huge housing development on the outskirts of South Tyneside.

South Tyneside Council has received an application for land at Cleadon Lane Industrial Estate, off Cleadon Lane.

The site sits on the edge of East Boldon, between Boldon and Cleadon, and mainly covers the northern part of the industrial estate.

Avant Homes aims to demolish several existing buildings and redevelop the land as a 245-home housing estate.

This includes a mix of two-, threeand four-bedroom houses, ranging from short terraces to semi-detached and detached properties. There would be driver access from Cleadon Lane.

A planning statement prepared for Avant Homes and submitted to the council’s planning authority states that the development would have a number of benefits.

These include meeting demand for housing in the borough and “alleviating pressures” on the green-belt land to meet housing needs.

The planning statement reads: “The development will deliver a range of social, economic and environmental benefits.

“This includes the delivery of 245 new homes, contributing significantly towards the lack of a five-year housing land supply and a legacy of underdelivery in recent years.

“It has also been demonstrated that the loss of employment land would be acceptable given the site is unattractive to the market and is out of favour with recent trends in land demand.”

The proposed site comprises around 6.2 hectares, making up the majority of Cleadon Lane Industrial Estate.

Planning documents state that the area earmarked for development is used for industrial purposes, with the majority of the site occupied by structures including corrugated steel and brick-built buildings.

The site also houses a large number of steel shipping containers and areas of the site are used for storage purposes.

While some buildings to the north have been demolished, the majority remain standing.

A design and access statement submitted with the plans says there would be a “comprehensive landscaping scheme.”

It adds: “The site benefits from fantastic opportunities to deliver muchneeded housing and an attractive distinctive place to live on the edge of the green belt, benefitting from views over undeveloped green fields.”

A decision on the housing plans is expected following a period of council consultation, and comments can be made until January 12.

There is more information on South Tyneside Council’s online planning portal (reference ST/1109/21/FUL).