Wooler 72-home development set for approval after six years of hold-ups

Plans for a new housing estate in Wooler, which would include a significant number of bungalows, are set to progress after six years of hold-ups.

The detailed application of an outline bid first unveiled in 2013, for a total of 72 homes on land north of the B6348 Weetwood Road, is recommended for approval at a meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Council today.

The reserved matters scheme has not attracted any objections, but has to be decided by the committee as the applicant is Ascent Homes, the house-building arm of the council-owned company Advance Northumberland.

The proposals are for 27 two-bedroom bungalows, 10 three-bedroom bungalows, 10 two-bedroom terraced houses, 19 three-bedroom homes (all but one semi-detached) and six four-bedroom detached properties.

Seven of the two-bedroom bungalows and four of the terraced dwellings would be affordable homes.

The outline bid was originally submitted back in 2013 and approved by councillors in November that year, subject to a section 106 legal agreement to deliver 30 per cent affordable housing.

However, the agreement was not signed ‘due to unavoidable circumstances which left the applicant without professional advice at that time’.

The application, by Gerald Dickinson, was returned to committee in January 2016 and was given the green light once more, this time with a legal agreement for 15 per cent affordable housing.

Ascent Homes then submitted the full application in September last year, with additional delays while initial concerns from both the council’s flooding team and the Environment Agency were allayed.

As with the previous bid, Wooler Parish Council did not object, but called for an extension to the 30mph limit, adequate lighting and a footpath along the B6348; all of these would be required by conditions if the plans are approved. It also felt a financial contribution for the community was needed.