Decision on controversial plans for 500-home development at Killingworth delayed once again

Members of the North Tyneside Council planning committee were due to make a decision on proposals for 539 new homes on Tuesday, with the plans recommended for approval despite more than 160 objections from local residents.

However, just two hours before the planning committee meeting began, the Government issued updated guidelines to planning authorities.

Council planners therefore felt uncomfortable presenting the application that had been considered under the previous guidelines up to that point.

Therefore, a decision on whether to allow the joint proposals from Bellway Homes and Banks Group will now be taken at the next meeting of the committee on Thursday, January 11.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was released by the Government at 2pm, and sets out government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It follows a consultation on reforms to the planning policy and replaces the previous NPPF originally published in 2012 and revised several times, most recently in September.

A decision on the Killingworth application was originally due in October. However, the late submission of several important documents meant planning officers felt councillors needed more time to absorb the information.

This application forms one part of the Killingworth Masterplan, envisaged by North Tyneside Council in 2017. In total, around 2,000 homes are proposed to be built on the moor by Bellway, Banks Property, and Northumberland Estates in a series of stages.

The whole project will also entail several major updates to the surrounding road networks and infrastructure. These include improvements to the Killingworth roundabout, junction improvements on Killingworth Road, and new cycling and pedestrian routes.

The Bellway and Bank Property application seeks permission for 78 two-bed, 190, three-bed, 237 four-bed, and 34 five-bed homes. Objections from residents have mainly centred around the loss of green space as a result of the housing development.