'Great opportunity for new business' as TIC change approved

The seaside town’s shuttered TIC now benefits from permission for retail use after the application was signed off unanimously by the North Northumberland Local Area Council at its meeting last Thursday.

The building on Queen Street, by the Town Square, which also houses public toilets, has been out of action since June last year with the county council looking to lease it to another user.

The local authority previously said that whatever the building’s future use, there would be public-toilet provision.

Amble Town Council responded to the application to say it has no objection ‘provided the public toilet provision is not reduced or removed altogether’, also expressing a view that it would be beneficial if they were upgraded or renovated.

However, it was clarified at the meeting that the toilets had been removed from the change of use application, so they are not affected at all by the planning permission.

Moving approval, Amble’s ward member, Coun Terry Clark, said it was a ‘great opportunity for someone to start a business’.

The building is currently being advertised for lease via George F White, with a guide rent of £7,500 a year.

Elsewhere in the town, two applications at the under-construction Amble Inn were also unanimously approved.

The first was for two butterfly awnings and timber trellis fencing with canvas wind-break panels, a decorative metal arch and a pond with a fire basket in the terrace area.

The other was for advertisement consent for two fascia signs, one projecting hanging sign, one post sign and one podium sign, all externally illuminated.

Ben O'Connell, Local Democracy Reporting Service