Green light for £500,000 harbour development in Amble

Plans for a striking new £500,000 development at Amble harbour have received the green light.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Warkworth Harbour Commissioners (WHC) plans to build a new harbour office, RSPB facilities and four retail units on a site currently used for parking.

Maurice Burnett, WHC chairman, said: “The permission is great news. It means we can move ahead with detailed design, tender and then build out over the coming year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We will be sending out a tender invitation to local builders in May requesting a complete solution based on our design. The new building will be an opportunity to move to more renewable and sustainable energy generation for WHC and its tenants.

An artist's impression of the Amble harbour development.An artist's impression of the Amble harbour development.
An artist's impression of the Amble harbour development.

“As well as providing a new office on the quay for WHC the new building will deliver four new ground floor retail/office units for local businesses and a first floor home for the RSPB.

“Most importantly there will be a large and attractive first floor community room for community events, celebrations and training purposes.

“At the same time WHC will be considering a new use for its existing office building which sits on a prime site on the Little Shore.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“At the end of this process WHC will have transformed its office buildings, provided units for new businesses and jobs in the area and reduced its carbon footprint.”

Warkworth Harbour Commissioners' office. Picture by Jane ColtmanWarkworth Harbour Commissioners' office. Picture by Jane Coltman
Warkworth Harbour Commissioners' office. Picture by Jane Coltman

There were three objections, including concerns about the scale and design of the proposed building.

Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership shared those concerns but was supportive of the principle for a new harbour office.

James Bellis, senior planning officer at Northumberland County Council, approved the scheme using delegated decision-making powers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “Whilst there is deemed to be an element of harm to the conservation area, it is considered that the public benefits of the scheme outweigh this harm.”

Planning consultant Jon Tweddell, in a report submitted alongside the application, stated: ‘The applicant has chosen to do something a little different in terms of the overall design.

‘Rather than replicate the design features of traditional buildings, they have opted for modern design features to show a contrast between old and new. This method is quite common on listed buildings and other heritage assets.’

Related topics: