Plan for 60 new homes next to Alnmouth station rumbles on as fresh objection lodged by Lesbury Parish Council

Northumberland Estates submitted an application in 2018 seeking outline permission for approximately 60 dwellings, a car park and transport hub on a plot of land north of the station.

The Duke of Northumberland’s development company has backing from the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership which has written a letter of support for the application, as it complements their strategy promoting sustainable travel and tourism.

Aln Valley Railway (AVR) has also supported the application in the hope of realising an ambition to extend the track from Greenrigg to Alnmouth – with Northumberland Estates agreeing to make land available for it.

But Lesbury Parish Council has questioned the need for the scheme.

The parish clerk states: ‘Lesbury Parish continues to object to the car park and 60 houses which are not needed.

‘It is difficult to understand why visitors to the AONB would park at Alnmouth station when the car park close to Alnmouth beach, and within the AONB is so much more convenient.

‘The strategic justification for more car parking could be made at the Alnwick end of the Aln Valley Railway where local people could be persuaded to leave their cars, travel by train, walk or cycle to the station.’

The clerk adds: ‘We welcome close working relationships with AVR and the plans to develop the railway and establish a greenway between Alnmouth and Alnwick. There is no evidence to suggest that additional car parking is needed. In fact, our surveys show a significant number of spaces available on a daily basis.’

The application has attracted dozens of negative comments over the past five years.

Many call for Northumberland County Council to expedite a close to the application.

One objection comes from Richard Fairbairn of Hillside, Lesbury, who wrote: ‘It is now over 50 months since this planning application was lodged and it is disappointing to the citizens that the county council is not able to make a decision, leaving residents in doubt over the future of the parish.’

There have been no objections from any statutory consultees other than the parish council.