Amended housing plans lodged for former Northumberland car showroom site in Longframlington

Westroad Garage in Longframlington, where four homes are now proposed. Pictures by Ben O’Connell

An initial bid for the demolition of the existing buildings and the construction of nine homes at Westroad Garage, on Rothbury Road in Longframlington, was unanimously refused at February’s meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council.

Planners had recommended approval, but Coun Trevor Thorne, the local ward member, moved refusal on the grounds of design, height and massing as well as the impact on the nearby listed building, Rookwood House.

This decision was challenged by applicant Tustain Motors, which owns the site, however, planning inspector Patrick Hanna dismissed the appeal in September.

He did not agree that the scheme, of four four-bedroom properties and five three-bedroom dwellings, would have a detrimental effect on the setting of Rookwood House, but he did feel that there would be ‘harm caused to the character and appearance of Cairn Park from the excessive height of the northern terrace of the proposed development’.

Now, Tustain has submitted a new application for the redevelopment of the site with four homes – two four-bedroom bungalows and two five-bedroom houses.

In what appears to be a response to the decision of the planning inspector, the two bungalows would be to the north of the sloping site, nearer to and accessed from Cairn Park.

A design and access statement with the application says: ‘The site rises from south to north and with the existing housing to the north being predominantly single-storey, it was decided that units 1 and 2 would be single-storey in order to avoid the potential perception of houses on this part of the site giving the impression of being overbearing relative to the neighbouring homes.’

Five-bedroom houses to the south would have separate drives onto West Road, ‘positioned in a similar location as the existing vehicular access to the current garage site, representing a significant reduction in vehicle movements directly onto this main thoroughfare relative to previous business use’.

It said the style of housing was chosen to offer ‘a blend of materials, proportions and built form that draws from the traditional elements found in the village centre.’