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

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

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 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.

The application, by Gerald Dickinson, wreturned 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 concerns from the council’s flooding team and Environment Agency were allayed.

Wooler Parish Council did not object, but called for an extension to the 30mph limit, lighting, a footpath along the B6348 and a financial contribution for the community.