Plans to build more holiday lets in Craster and Beadnell are blocked by councillors

Applicants had wanted to demolish an existing building in the seaside town of Beadnell and replace it with three detached houses, providing 18 beds as holiday accommodation.

A separate application requested permission for two holiday lets in the village of Dunstan, near Craster, on land at Dunstan House.

However, there has been growing concern about the rising numbers of properties being used as short-term rentals in Northumberland. The issue is a particular problem in the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which runs from Amble to Berwick.

Recent figures showed there were 1,093 properties registered as holiday lets in the area, while a Freedom of Information request to Northumberland County Council revealed that 31% of all properties in Beadnell were holiday homes in 2021.

Recent planning policies, including the Northumberland Local Plan and various neighbourhood plans – set by individual parishes – have sought to address this issue by blocking new-build holiday lets. Both Beadnell and Craster parishes have these policies in place; however, the plans to build new lets were both recommended for approval by council planners.

The Beadnell application proposed demolition of the former Links Garage Building, currently used as three holiday flats offering a total of 18 beds. In a report, planners said the application offered the opportunity to “improve the gateway to the village”.

However, the council’s conservation officer had concerns around the plans, which falls within the village’s conservation area. It was felt the plans were “overdevelopment” and the “uniformity” of the buildings would harm the character of the conservation area.

Speaking at a meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council, Cllr Christine Williamson of Beadnell Parish Council argued: “We agree the exisiting building doesn’t provide a good gateway into the village.

“We are supportive of redeveloping it, but this plan is not an acceptable solution.

“We would be open to considering a smaller development in keeping with the size of the site that will improve the character of the conservation area.”

Speaking on behalf of the applicants, lawyer Nicola Allan argued the proposals were “like-for-like” and that with any less development, the scheme would not be viable.

However, county councillors voted to go against the officer’s recommendations.

Coun Jeff Watson said: “I think it is an over-development of the site, I think it goes against the local plan. There should be a better plan for this site.”

The plans were refused by six votes to three.

In terms of the Dunstan application, officers explained that while the Craster Neighbourhood Plan barred new market housing from being used as holiday lets, the proposal was for purpose-built holiday cottages and therefore fell outside the plan.

However, Craster Parish Council clerk Adam Shanley argued that the council was ‘strongly opposed’ to the application, adding: “Holiday accommodation does not support essential services required by the people of the county, such as health and education.”

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, agent Stuart Palmer explained that applicant Janet Stansfield, a well-known hotelier, wanted to create an “eco-tourism” site “completely different to anything on the Northumberland coast”.

But once again, councillors voted against the proposals.