Plans for cafe and restaurant on Northumberland coast set to get green light - despite 100+ objections

The Northumberland Estates, which represents the business interests of the Duke of Northumberland and the Percy family, is seeking planning permission for the construction of a two-storey café and restaurant, with 64 parking spaces and a play area, in Beadnell.

Its plans for land at Bernicia Way, close to the renowned beach at Beadnell Bay, are due to be determined by Northumberland County Council on Thursday, August 22.

In a report to the North Northumberland Local Area Council, planning officer Chris McDonagh states: ‘The application site is subject to an extant permission (2009) for a visitor centre with integral café. It is considered therefore that the principle of a café in this location is acceptable, although this was not the primary use of that approved building.

‘It would deliver economic and social benefits through an increase in service provision and recreation while also providing a boost to the local economy through increased visitor spending.

‘In terms of its environmental role there would not be any significant or unacceptable harmful impacts on the site and wider area.’

The application site is set within a 40 unit holiday park development consisting of clad New England style dwellings with on-site amenities such as a tennis court.

As part of the approval under that application, a watersports and visitor centre was proposed to sit at the entrance to the development, occupying a parcel of land to the southeast of the site but was never constructed.

Plans for a two-storey café and restaurant with 50 parking spaces were withdrawn last year. A subsequent application was amended in January to provide additional highway details and again in March to secure public toilet provision on the café ground floor.

It has attracted 105 objections with concerns about noise, litter, the proposed design and its impact on the surrounding landscape.

However, there have been eight letters of support related to job creation and demand for the facility.

Beadnell Parish Council and the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership have raised no objection.