In early July, after many hours of preparation, members of the Forum Executive attended the hearings into the Council’s draft Local Plan to make the case for the best outcome for East Boldon.
There were also representatives at the hearings from a range of other interested parties,including a number of landowners and builders promoting not only their own sites included in the current Plan, but also those not in any previous versions of the Plan. For example, Bellway Homes tried to make a case for the East field at North Farm.
The Inspector reminded all those attending the hearings that if the current draft Local Plan is judged not to be sound and is rejected, the Council would then be compelled to start immediately on a new plan with double the number of houses as a mandatory target. This would be likely to see other green belt sites around Boldon, Cleadon and Whitburn coming forward. Members attended the sessions on:
Plan period + Housing need and requirement
We argued that the Council’s figure of 309 new homes per year is not soundly based. It uses the 2023 Housing Market Assessment which is based on the 2014 and 2018 household estimates, which are respectively 2,774 and 2,462 higher than the equivalent 2021 figures. These assessments were used to provide the housing requirement figure of 309 dwellings per year. The 2021 census figures would be a more valid basis for calculation and would result in a lower figure. If this figure was used, the housing requirement would reduce from 309 to 145 dwellings per year.
We also argued that Green Belt, and the lower household estimates included in the 2021 census constitute the exceptional circumstances which justify their use in calculating housing needs for South Tyneside.
We argued that additional affordable housing to meet local needs could be met by increasing the ratio provided on sites across the area. In East Boldon, the Council reduced the allocation for affordable housing from 30% to 25%. Reinstating this to 30% would address this issue. The Government’s recent announcement of additional funding for affordable housing may help with this.
Spatial strategy – Does the proposed spatial strategy in Policy SP3 reflect the nature, characteristics and settlement pattern in South Tyneside?
We argued that policy SP3 has not been positively prepared to deliver sustainable development in the East Boldon area. The proposed allocation of 263 houses at site GA2, Land at North Farm, along with the proposal for 202 homes at Cleadon Lane and 9 homes at the former Mayflower Glass site will result in a 26% increase in the number of houses in East Boldon. The impact of this increase on the “distinctive character of the village”, local services and infrastructure is unsustainable.
We argued that East Boldon should have a reduced role in providing suitable locations for housing because of a limited ability to sustainably accommodate growth in the village. The inclusion of site GA2, Land at North Farm will result in development that is not sustainable and will destroy the character and distinctiveness of the village. It has a historic core with a large Conservation Area and Victorian era infrastructure which could not cope with the increase in traffic not only from the 263 houses proposed for site GA2 and 202 at Cleadon Lane, but also from the proposed developments nearby at Moor Lane, Cleadon (259) and Town End Farm (400), a total of more than 1,100, many of which are likely to pass through the centre of East Boldon.
Furthermore, the Village is surrounded by Green Belt which has importance in not only preventing development but in providing important natural habitats, wildlife corridors and green and blue infrastructure corridors.
Green Belt and general approach to site selection
We questioned the methodology used to select sites which require alteration of the Green Belt boundary. We pointed out negative impacts from the sustainability appraisals which we consider should have been given more weight when set against the effect on the Green Belt. We also challenged whether these effects can be effectively mitigated. Our submission to the Council’s consultations on the draft Local Plan stated “These proposals are in conflict with the adopted East Boldon Neighbourhood Plan as they are outside the settlement boundary approved in the Plan. These sites are within the Green Belt and their removal can only be agreed if the Council can prove exceptional circumstances and can demonstrate that all other reasonable options have been met.”
Site GA2 Land at North Farm (Boker Lane)
We argued that this site, proposing 263 homes on the field next to Boker Lane, should be excluded from the Local Plan for the following reasons:
- Loss of Green Belt Land
- Interruption to the Wildlife Corridor
- Reduction of the gap between East Boldon South Shields
- Effective merging of East and West Boldon
- Impact on local schools and health services which are already over capacity
- Severe impact on traffic volumes and air quality on the A184 Front Street, St Bedes/Station Road and Boker Lane. The junctions at Blacks Corner, Boker Lane/Front Street and Bank Top in West Boldon already experience significant delays, and the additional volume of traffic from 263 additional houses is unsustainable.
- Impact on level crossings at Tilesheds and East Boldon metro station, which already experience significant delays with the current level of traffic
- Lack of capacity at East Boldon Metro station car park to accommodate the additional numbers of cars generated.
Should the site go ahead, we suggested that the northern third of the site between the public right of way and New Road should be left undeveloped and retained in the Green Belt to provide continuity of the existing Wildlife Corridor. We also argued that the percentage of affordable housing for the site should increase from 25% to 30% to match the level the Council has applied to a site at Moor Lane in Cleadon. There should also be an appropriate number of homes allocated for older people.
More information, including videos of the hearings, is available on the Council’s website.
The Inspector will hold a further series of hearings in October, which we will also attend. The final outcome of the Examination is not expected until Spring 2026.
SAFC Solar Farm
Revised plans for the site were submitted by SAFC on the 16th June – we shared the details with Forum members. We have again submitted an objection to the revised plans as they fail to provide a satisfactory solution to mitigating the harm caused to the local wildlife and ecology, in particular the wading birds including Avocets, to which the site is an important link between the coast and Boldon Flats. They haven’t resolved the disruption to the wildlife corridor and in our view still failed to demonstrate the very exceptional circumstances
required for the release of Green Belt Land.
It’s likely that the planning application will be considered by the Council’s Planning Committee within the next few months and we’ll keep members updated with any progress.
St George’s Church open space
We are slowly working through addressing all of the requirements we need to fulfil in order to receive planning permission. This is required even though the Council owns the land. The great success of our fundraising event held in April – £1,700 was raised thanks to the generosity of East Boldon residents – has enabled us to fund reports on Ecological Impact Assessment and Biodiversity Net Gain which were required by the planning officer. We have yet to complete a Landscape Plan, Arboriculture Method Statement and
Management Plan, which will incur further expense.
We hope to have your support again in another fundraiser on the 25th October at St George’s to enable us to fulfil all the requirements of the planning officer and finally obtain planning permission.
Some additional news. At the April Fundraiser we met a village resident who has offered potential help through the company he works for targeting charitable and social value initiatives. Watch this space!
Any further help from our supportive community will always be very welcome help us to complete the project and open up this long neglected part of the village.
Proposed new housing at Cleadon Lane
You may recall that the scheme was rejected by the Council’s Planning Committee on 10th March over concerns with the disposal of sewage from the site.
The developers have now submitted an appeal to the Secretary of State with a deadline of 8th August for comments. The decision on the appeal will be then be determined through a public hearing. No date has yet been set for this.
The appeal documents can be viewed on the planning portal.
Search using the reference number ST/1109/21/FUL.
The documents listed on the portal are in alphabetical order. The appeal documents are all headed ‘ST110921FUL Appeal’.
Please let us know ASAP if you have any comments you would like us to include in our response to the appeal.
If you live or work in the East Boldon Forum area then you are welcome to join the Forum. Please get in touch with us.
If you wish to contact us for any reason please leave your details on the Contact Us page.