Plans for apartments for the over 55s in Cramlington are refused by council

An application by AWH Homes sought outline planning permission for the development of a site north of Hartford Court Care Home.

A three-storey building had been envisaged with 11 one and two bedroom apartments on each floor.

A previous bid for eight bungalows on the site was refused by Northumberland County Council in 2023 and dismissed at appeal.

Senior planning officer Ryan Soulsby, reported: “This proposal is for a much larger, three storey development and the local planning authority have the same concerns as previously raised by the inspector in that this would represent an awkward and incongruous addition to the site.

"The adjacent care home is two storey, whilst the Aldi supermarket is a single storey building, thus ensuring that a three storey building upon the application site would dominate the surrounding landscape.”

Five objections were lodged with concerns including loss of green space and increased traffic.

Mr Soulsby, refusing the scheme under delegated powers, added: “The proposed development would result in the loss of both protected open space and general open space which has not been appropriately mitigated or addressed.

“The local planning authority consider that the proposal would be harmful in relation to visual character and would create significant residential amenity concerns.”

Developers said the proposal would be able to provide new, sustainable accommodation for older people in close proximity to a range of services and facilities.

Plans for a pub restaurant on the site were approved in 2004 but were never developed.