Amended plans for former Alnwick school set for the green light

An application by Northumberland Estates to alter the design of its plans for the former Duke’s Middle School is being recommended for approval.

The school closed in 2016 and planning permission was granted in 2020 for almost 100 homes on the wider site.

This included the conversion of the former school into 27 apartments plus the construction of 22 houses and bungalows, and a two-storey block of 49 retirement flats at the other end of the site, with a landscaped open area in the middle.

Northumberland Estates wants to modify the design to include winter gardens and balconies for the retirement flats and to retain more of the original school roof structure at the intersection with the new northern extension.

However, there have been eight letters of objection so has been called in for a decision by Northumberland County Council’s north area council planning committee on Thursday.

In his report to members, David Love, specialist senior officer, reports: ‘The principle of the development has been firmly established through the grant of consent currently extant.

‘There are no objections from the consultees and council officers consider the proposed changes acceptable in terms of design and the historic environment.

‘It should be noted that the objections all raised the issue of materials and impact on the listed Duke's Middle School. The materials have now been altered to revert to the original stone finish.

‘The proposal is seeking to utilise alternative energy sources to improve the sustainability of the applications including solar panels and air source heat pumps. Solar panels are matt finished so will not cause a reflective glare impacting on adjacent properties.

‘There are no concerns from Public Protection regarding noise from the substation or the air source heat pumps. Such elements are regular in modern housing developments and founded complaints are not common.

‘Finally, the winter gardens/balconies are a substantial distance (some 40m plus between elevations) from extant properties and officers do not consider that they will cause any undue impact on privacy beyond that already experienced in residential areas.’

If approved, Northumberland Estates hopes to start work before the end of the year, firstly on extensive repairs to the roof and the smaller mews style cottages.