‘Enough is enough’ as further housing development gets go ahead
Plans to build a further 185 houses in Amble have been given the go-ahead, despite a plea from ward councillor Jeff Watson that: “Enough is enough!”
Site of Amble’s latest housing development on land adjacent to Gloster Park
Coun Watson was speaking at a meeting of Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee which was considering the application to build on land west of Gloster Meadows.
Speaking against the application he pointed that almost 1,000 new homes were approved for Amble in the space of three months towards the end of last year.
He said: “We’re looking at more than 1,000 houses, maybe pushing on to 1,500, and we have to ask: ‘Where do we stop here?
“How much do we develop in towns like Amble?
“It’s too much, too quickly and developers are playing games – enough is enough.”
The plans have been submitted by North East-based developers The Home Group and Mr I Forsyth.
The proposed scheme, which will require a new access off Acklington Road, will feature a mix of house types and sizes, including 28 affordable homes – a mix of single and two-storey, one, two and three-bedroom homes for rent and for sale.
Speaking on behalf of the application, Stephanie Burrell: “The site is a central location making a logical and final development – it provides a firm and logical boundary – and there are only two objections from members of the public.
“We are one of the UK’s largest providers of quality homes and this is not a speculative development but a landowner and developer looking to provide both market and affordable homes.”
As part of the proposal, the applicants had agreed to a Section 106 agreement in which they would help to contribute to the funding of extra infrastructure in Amble which might be needed because of the development.
That agreement included the provision of a minimum of 28 affordable in the development, coastal mitigation contribution of £600 per dwelling (£111,000 in total), an education contribution of £495,000 and a health contribution of £112,800.
Planning officer Ragu Sittambalam pointed out that although outline planning permission had been given for a large number of houses in Amble recently, there had been very little housing development in the village in the earlier years of the 21st century.
He also pointed out that there had been much more development in Alnwick up until recent years.
Councillors on the committee acknowledged that the number of recent housing developments in Amble was an understandable concern but pointed out that there were no grounds on which to refuse this application.
The committee agreed the recommendation that the application be approved subject to a condition relating to archaeological obligations and that work should begin with two years.
By Graeme Anderson, Local Democracy Reporting Service
I agree enough is enough. There is no infrastructure in place for all these new houses, supermarkets. Doctors, dentists, the roads are horrendous, there’s no work, schools are full. It’s just a money making racket and no control over buying for second homes/holidays homes. Stop this now.
I have visited Amble since 1950 and continue to do so, my grandparents lived in Radcliffe and my father and his brothers a sisters lived there and in Amble up until the outbreak of war, I dont live there, ( so perhaps should not comment, but ) I visit 5 – 6 times every year and continue to do so, but in my opinion over the years I have seen Amble grow and expand, change and develop, the promises of a navel base, the opencast mining and much more.
To continue to develop housing in and around Amble at the current rate will change forever why people holiday and visit Amble, most of the housing will no doubt be beyond local means and a fairly high proportion will be second, or holiday homes, and empty in the winter, what does that do for sustainable communities ? NO doubt housing is much needed for young families but will they be affordable, perhaps a better mix with Social Housing added would lighten the blow and make it more pallatable ?