1000 homes now proposed for Amble
250 new homes are proposed on land at Percy Drive. The development site includes part of Hauxley.
Six months after the announcement in October of a 500 home development off Acklington Road, Amble is wooed by three new developments, which would take the total of proposed new housing in the area to over 1000.
At the end of February, plans were announced by planning agency Barton Willmore, on behalf of Warwickshire-based developers Cheviot Holdings, for a development on land at Percy Drive, which The Ambler understands to be for 250 properties.
Less than a week later, Arch, the development company owned by Northumberland County Council, disclosed their plans to create 51 houses on Coquet Enterprise Park.
And hot on their heels, comes the announcement of a third development, this location is south of the Persimmon development, on the A1068, approaching the fish roundabout. This development is also submitted by Cheviot Holdings. The Ambler understands the number of proposed properties is to be 200.
Arch hope to build 51 rental houses on Coquet Enterprise Park.
Public consultations
The public are invited to view the plans for each of these developments. The events will be held as follows:
• Coquet Enterprise Park. Arch: Monday 6 March, 2pm – 7pm, at Fourways2 (Top Floor)
• Land at Percy Drive. Barton Willmore on behalf of Cheviot Holdings Ltd: Thursday 9 March, 3pm – 7pm at The Old Storehouse
• Hauxley View, (land south of Persimmon development). Barton Willmore on behalf of Cheviot Holdings Ltd: Thursday 16 March, 3pm – 7pm at Amble Masonic Hall.
Why is there an increase in housing development?
The government’s policy is to build more houses, and every council must therefore develop a strategic plan to adhere to that.
Northumberland County Council’s Core Strategy document says Amble has sufficient capacity to accommodate 600 new homes between now and 2031. The plan across the county is to deliver 24,000 houses throughout Northumberland between 2011 and 2031.
These three new proposals for Amble would total 500 new properties, which, in addition to the 500 announced in October 2016, brings the number of proposed houses to 1000.
The 500 house development by Hindhaugh Homes last autumn, drew mixed opinions, with most concerns centering around the town’s capacity to meet the needs of the existing population, specifically regarding access to doctors and local schools’ capacity.
200 new houses are proposed on the southern approach to Amble
A petition was launched to protest at the increased traffic on Acklington Road which it was feared would add to existing congestion.
However others believed that the plans could bring positive benefits to the town, as an increase in population could bring benefit to local businesses.
Anna Williams
Housing Development Plans “Amble under Siege”
Here is a copy of my letter to our Councillors, I hope the development trust might adopt a similar approach to the absolutely
unsustainable plans in the offing.
Town and County Councillors need to defend this small but developing town from the rash of greedy developers seeking to ruin a town for profits.
I expect the Council to use the NCC’s own Strategy here: their statement is that Amble needs at least 600 new homes between 2011 and 2031. Even if that is right – it equates to building at the rate of 30 NEW HOMES A YEAR FOR 20 YEARS.
So, I expect our representatives to rein in the current insensible rash of planning proposals for huge housing estates across the entire fringes of the town.
250 houses are already under construction at “Mark’s Bridge” – that leaves a supposed need for 350 homes in the next 14 years; that’s 25 houses a year for the next 14 years. Apply the NCC’s own strategy and at the very least the proposed 500 homes south of JCSC must fail as well as some of the other proposals.
We native Ambleites do benefit from Developing the town, that’s fine but I expect all our representatives to reject these ludicrous plans for unsustainable house building, all you need to apply is common sense and NCC’s own Strategy to defend the Town.
George Martin
9 Panhaven Road Amble
NE650BD