New Berwick Academy project gets formal planning green light after Sport England objection is removed

The proposals to demolish the existing buildings and construct new buildings, and associated external works including access and landscaping, at the site in Tweedmouth was given the green light by Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee at a meeting earlier this month.

But members of the committee were told in an addendum report that there was still an objection from Sport England.

However, further information was provided by the council and the body has responded by saying its objection is no longer in place as long as certain conditions are met.

This has enabled planning permission to formally be granted and the removal of the objection was an important step for the project because if it remained in place, the bid’s approval would have been subject to referral to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for a decision on whether to call the application in for determination.

This would have delayed the new build, which is currently scheduled to open in 2028.

The issue of funding for the project still needs to be resolved.

The local authority has agreed to provide more than £50million in funding for the new Berwick Academy and has made repeated calls for a £13million contribution from the Department for Education school building programme funding – as this would have been needed for repairs if there was no rebuild.

Sport England’s latest response says following further information from the council, it has taken into account proposed new facilities such as a ‘new non-turf cricket wicket’ and an ‘upgraded Gen2 surface suitable for hockey and capable of accommodating recreational football, tennis and netball activity’.

It added: “Although there is a quantitative loss of playing field, Sport England is now satisfied that the sporting activities previously accommodated on the lost area can continue to be accommodated on the site through the package of qualitative improvements and retained provision secured through planning conditions.”

An example of the planning conditions is the following one included to ensure that the loss of the current rugby union pitches is mitigated.

It states: “Within six months of the commencement of works on-site, full details of the retained grass playing field provision shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority, following consultation with Sport England.

“The submitted details shall demonstrate how rugby union activity will continue to be capable of being accommodated on the site – including details of pitch layout, dimensions, markings, goalposts and any associated equipment required to facilitate curricular and extracurricular rugby union use.”