Plans lodged for new homes in Northumberland village - with two affordable properties included

The Northumberland Estates has submitted an application to the county council for the change of use of farmland and construction of the properties on land east of St James’ Church in South Charlton, north of Alnwick.

The proposed homes would all be one-and-a-half storeys – four with four bedrooms, one with three and then a pair of two-bedroom affordable houses.

Developments of fewer than 10 homes are not required to provide any affordable housing, but a planning statement explains that this housing mix ‘was identified through consultation with Eglingham Parish Council to address an identified need for a small number of affordable homes within the village’.

It adds that the council ‘has been fully involved in the original concept and layout/design of the development proposal through regular consultation communications and meetings’.

The scheme came about following discussions during consultation on the Estates’ bid for three self-build plots on land east of Ditchburn Road, on the other side of the village, which was granted outline permission in July 2018.

At that time, the parish council raised the point that the village needed ‘smaller-sized, more traditional residential dwellings, ideally delivering affordable homes for local people’, but that site was not considered suitable due to the surrounding larger houses and plots.

Following a meeting with the parish council in April 2019, the current proposals came about after amendments to an original suggestion, involving a three-home terrace and three larger house plots, with another meeting taking place in February this year to seek the council’s views.

‘Most of these comments were taken on board and are included in this current planning application,’ the planning statement says. ‘It is understood that Eglingham Parish Council is in support of the development proposal in principle, subject to agreeing some remaining minor design and materials points.’

The document concludes: ‘The development of private and affordable housing within the village of South Charlton has been developed in consultation with, and the in-principle support of, Eglingham Parish Council to enable the delivery of some affordable housing to meet a local need.’

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