Plans for more than 100 new homes approved in Northumberland seaside village
Councillors have approved plans for 108 new homes on the north Northumberland coast.
The houses will be built on land north and east of Seafield Sports Park on Broad Road in Seahouses.
The village has seen the population fall significantly since the turn of the millennium, as more and more houses are snapped up as second homes or holiday lets.
To combat this, restrictions will mean all houses on the new development must be used as a principal occupancy in perpetuity.
The development, brought forward by house builder Miller Homes, will include six two-bed homes, 35 three-beds, 45 four-beds and 22 five-beds. Of these, 19 will be designated as affordable housing, equating to 18% of the total number of homes – higher than required by council planning rules.
Miller Homes is in contact with social housing provider Bernicia, who are proposing that eight of the affordable homes will be made available for social or affordable rent and the remaining 10 available at a discount market rent.
At a meeting of the council’s strategic planning committee, local ward member Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson said: “There is a population problem on the Northumberland coast.
“We have seen a steady decline in the number of people who live here. Since the millennium, the population of Seahouses has fallen by 285 people, or 14.5%.
“Beadnell has fallen by 18% and Bamburgh by 29%. This is not insignificant.
“Seahouses Primary School has less than 70 pupils. Local employers are struggling to recruit and community groups and services are becoming harder to sustain.
“The site is within the village boundary which was set by the neighbourhood plan. It has been included in the housing allocation in the Northumberland Local Plan. It has been a question of when, not if, this scheme was going to come forward.”
Cllr Renner-Thompson also called for stronger rules around the principle occupancy clauses, as well as improvements to local roads and screening between the development and the nearby caravan site.
The plans were recommended for approval and members unanimously agreed.
Cllr Trevor Thorne, committee chairman, said: “We have a large village, but we want to see it function during the winter. For that, we need primary residents living there. I think it is good to see. It has my support.”