Car park upgrade for lighthouse
PLANS to revamp the car park at a popular South Tyneside tourist spot have been given the go-ahead by development chiefs.
The Souter Lighthouse complex, located off the Coast Road between South Shields and Whitburn, is set for an upgrade after South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved an application from the National Trust.
The heritage organisation submitted plans last year to enhance the car park near the lighthouse complex, which welcomes around 20,000 visitors annually. An additional 50,000 using the parking facilities to visit Whitburn Coastal Park and The Leas. The car park, first built over three decades ago, has undergone several repairs to keep it functional.
The new plans aim to enhance the visitor experience without altering the existing aesthetic of the area. The current car park, surfaced in a mix of finishes including tarmac and loose stone, will be replaced with a hard surface and approximately 60 marked parking spaces.
The new surface material will be a dense-graded bituminous macadam (DBM), matching the current road surface leading to the car park.
South Tyneside Council has given the green light to plans for a revamped car park, despite no neighbour representations being submitted during a consultation exercise. The council’s planning department approved the proposals on April 19, 2024, which include a resurfaced car park with marked spaces, two disabled bays, two bus bays and a cycle parking bay with storage.
The existing car park, constructed in 1989, has undergone several repairs since its installation. It was confirmed that there would be no expansion to the car park’s footprint and the number of parking bays would remain consistent.
The council argued that the plans would not undermine the significance of heritage assets or cause any adverse impact to neighbouring properties and the surrounding environment.
Council planners highlighted that the car park proposals would also serve the newly constructed Whitburn Coastal Conservation Centre.
Under planning conditions, the works must be initiated within three years.