The North Tyneside Council Planning Committee met on 17 September 2025 to discuss planning application reports and receive guidance to members in determining planning applications. The committee was scheduled to discuss one major planning application concerning land at Backworth Business Park. The meeting was also scheduled to confirm the minutes of a previous meeting.

Land at Backworth Business Park

The committee was scheduled to consider a full major application, reference 24/00172/FULM, for land at Backworth Business Park, Eccleston Close, Backworth, Newcastle Upon Tyne. The application was for the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of 37 residential dwellings, designated as Use Class C3(a) ¹, with associated road infrastructure, car parking, gardens, landscaping, and other ancillary works. The applicant for the project is Northumberland Estates.

The planning officer's report outlined several key issues for the committee to consider:

• The principle of the development
• The impact on the character and appearance of the area, including adjacent heritage assets and the Backworth Conservation Area
• The impact on the amenity of future residents, including the impacts on existing businesses
• Highway matters
• Biodiversity, including the Local Wildlife Site (LWS) and Wildlife Corridor
• Other issues

The planning officer's report recommended that the application be refused. The stated reason for refusal was:

The proposed development is unacceptable due to its significant harmful impacts on the Local Wildlife Site (LWS), designated Wildlife Corridor, Priority Species, and the wider Green Infrastructure (GI) network.

The report stated that the applicant, Northumberland Estates, was unwilling to amend the plans to improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area.

The report also noted that eight objections had been received, raising concerns about traffic, pedestrian safety, wildlife displacement, noise, and the impact on the landscape and character of the conservation area.

Site Description

The application site is located east of the B1322, covering approximately 2.26 hectares. It includes the Keenans Processing Ltd factory and Prosperous House office building, with the remainder of the site being rough grassland. To the north is the former colliery, where new houses are being built by Cussins. Adjacent to the site entrance are two vacant stone cottages, Dairy Cottage, which is Grade II listed, and Ivy Cottage, a non-designated heritage asset. The site is designated as a mixed-use site in the North Tyneside Local Plan (LP), as well as a wildlife corridor, and part of it is designated as a Local Wildlife Site (LWS).

Proposal Details

The proposal includes the construction of 37 residential dwellings, comprising 8 bungalows and 29 houses, with associated infrastructure, parking, gardens, and landscaping. The applicant amended the proposal to reduce the impact on existing ecology and landscaping, including:

• Redesigning the layout to increase ecology connectivity, landscape, and biodiversity net gain (BNG) in the northern area.
• Removing the proposed footpath to the adjoining LWS.
• Increasing the landscape buffer on the eastern and southern boundaries.
• Revising the housing mix to reduce the number of bungalows.
• Relocating the SuDS [^3] basin.
• Proposing on-site ecology/landscape mitigation and offsite ecology/landscape compensation, with an overall biodiversity gain of 13.28% (habitat units) and 35.01% (hedgerow units).

The applicant also stated their commitment to delivering 5 hectares of grassland compensation to the north of Backworth, related to the original Cussins housing and commercial development scheme.

Relevant Planning History

The planning officer's report listed several previous planning applications relating to the site, including:

• 25/00717/AMEND: Non-material amendment to planning approval 24/01293/FUL, permitted on 02.07.2025.
• 24/01293/FUL: Variation of conditions relating to approved plans, permitted on 14.03.2025.
• 24/01206/ADV: Advertising of a new housing development, pending consideration.
• 24/01205/FUL: Temporary change of use of land as a sales centre, permitted on 26.11.2024.
• 21/00304/FUL: Construction of 57 residential dwellings and 14 commercial units, refused but allowed on appeal on 05.02.24.
• 18/01374/LBC: Demolition and conversion of existing buildings to form flats and dwellings, consent granted on 30.09.2020.
• 18/01373/FUL: Demolition and conversion of existing buildings, refused on 30.09.2020 and dismissed at appeal on 28.09.2021.
• 18/00881/FUL: Construction of 67 residential dwellings and 14 commercial units, refused on 30.09.2020 and dismissed at appeal on 16.11.2021.
• 12/00637/FUL: Change of use to residential and construction of 65 residential units, refused on 12.05.2015 and dismissed at appeal on 31.08.2016.

Material Planning Considerations

The report stated that material planning considerations include the North Tyneside Local Plan (adopted July 2017) and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Minutes

The committee was also scheduled to confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 20 August 2025. During that meeting, the committee:

• Noted that Councillor Charlie Gray, had declared a non-registerable personal interest as he pays an annual subscription to access Newcastle United tickets and is a member of Newcastle United Supporters Trust, regarding application 25/00486/FULM - Sports Ground And Premises Darsley Park, Whitley Road, Benton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE12 9SF.
• Approved application 25/00503/FULM for the construction of 36 residential dwellings on land to the west of Benton Lane including the Church Of St Peter & St Paul Site, Longbenton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.
• Approved application 25/00486/FULM for the extension to create additional office and welfare facilities, provide additional external storage plus associated car parking and landscaping at Sports Ground And Premises Darsley Park, Whitley Road, Benton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE12 9SF.