The Strategic Planning Committee of Northumberland Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 03 February 2026, to consider a range of planning applications and updates. Key discussions were expected to focus on a proposed quarry extension, a new residential development, and an update on Section 106 agreements.

Proposed Extraction of Dolerite at Kirkharle

The committee was scheduled to consider a significant planning application for the proposed extraction of 2.8 million tonnes of dolerite, along with the importation of inert infill material and associated highway and landscape works. The site, located North East of North Side, Kirkharle, Northumberland, was subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) due to its scale. The report detailed a history of the application, including a previous decision to grant permission that was later quashed by the courts on climate change grounds. The applicant had subsequently submitted further information, including a new climate change chapter and updated ecological surveys, leading to a redetermination of the application.

The proposals involved working the site in four phases over a 20-year period, with an average of 46 loaded heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) serving the site daily. The restoration plan included the use of overburden and imported inert material to return the land to its existing ground levels, with specific areas designated for lowland acidic grassland, whin grassland, marshy grassland, and scrub. Numerous consultations had taken place, with objections raised by Kirkwhelpington, Ponteland, and Belsay Parish Councils concerning traffic, noise, and environmental impacts. Natural England and the Environment Agency had raised no objections subject to conditions. The report detailed extensive planning policy considerations, including those related to spatial strategy, the principle of mineral extraction, the need for the mineral, climate change, site restoration, landscape and visual impact, residential amenity, transport, ecology, heritage assets, and the water environment. The recommendation was to grant planning permission subject to conditions and a Section 106 Agreement.

Proposed Residential Development at Seahouses

The committee was also scheduled to determine a full planning application for the erection of 108 dwellings, including access, landscaping, parking, and associated infrastructure, on land North and East of Seafield Sports Park, Broad Road, Seahouses, Northumberland. The application had seen several amendments, including revisions to the layout, house types, boundary treatments, and drainage systems. The site is located within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is subject to various constraints, including being within a Coal Authority High Risk Area and a Coastal Mitigation Zone.

The report outlined the principle of the development, noting that Seahouses is identified as a service centre in the Northumberland Local Plan (NLP) and the North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan (NNCNP), with an identified need for new housing. The proposed housing mix and affordable housing provision were discussed, with a Section 106 agreement proposed to secure 19 affordable dwellings (18% of the total). Concerns were raised by the Parish Council and local residents regarding the scale of the development, its impact on local amenities, connectivity, and the loss of hedgerows and trees. The report detailed considerations related to design, visual impact, amenity, highways, public rights of way, ecology, coastal mitigation, archaeology, public protection, coal mining legacy, and water management. The recommendation was to grant permission subject to conditions and a Section 106 legal agreement covering affordable housing, biodiversity net gain, coastal mitigation, education, healthcare, open space, primary occupancy, and public right of way improvements.

Section 106 Update

A report was presented to update members on the monitoring and collection of Section 106 contributions in the planning process. This monthly report detailed new Section 106 agreements and unilateral undertakings completed during November and December 2025, along with details of awards paid for projects such as play areas. The report confirmed that Section 106 obligations are in line with policy, with Legal Services involved in their preparation and monitoring.