Second homes issue highlighted as appeal lodged over planning refusal in Alnmouth

An application by Paul Edwards, owner of Westlea B&B on Riverside Road, was refused by Northumberland County Council last July.

The proposal for a detached house on a steeply sloping site behind his property had been recommended for approval by planning officers but was rejected by the North Northumberland Local Area Council planning committee.

Planning officers acknowledged the proposal was not on a prominent site but councillors refused it on the grounds of ‘design, scale, massing and loss of the burgage plot’.

An appeal statement on the applicant's behalf states: ‘The appellant is firmly of the view that the proposed development would not cause any harm to the character or appearance of the conservation area.

‘The benefits primarily arise from the delivery of a new home for permanent residential occupation in a location where the housing stock and local population has become increasingly dominated by second home ownership.

‘Such a high level of second homes within the area has inevitably reduced housing supply and pushed up house prices to unaffordable levels for local people with a high number of the second homes being empty for long periods of the year which has had a negative effect on the viability of local services/facilities and community cohesion.

‘The proposed development of a new dwelling on the appeal site for permanent residential occupation would make a small but meaningful contribution towards meeting the housing needs of local people.’

The applicant has indicated glazed screening on a first floor balcony could overcome privacy concerns given as a second reason for refusal.