Planning Appeal over Blyth Homes of Multiple Occupancy plans are dismissed

Applicants appeal over refused plans for more bedsits in Blyth town centre, which proved very unpopular with residents and locals alike, has been dismissed by the planning inspectorate

Leader of Northumberland Labour Group, Councillor Susan Dungworth of Hartley Ward salutes the planning inspector Alison Scott for her strength of application in dismissing this planning appeal.

The planning application was seeking permission to convert a vacant building on Waterloo Road, in the centre of Blyth opposite the Market Place, into an Home of Multiple Occupancy  with 17 en-suite rooms for tenants, while the front section of the ground floor would be kept as a retail unit.

The plan from the Holy Eagle organisation had caused a lot of public unrest, with a huge number of residents concerned that the tenants could be homeless people and ex-offenders, resulting in increased drugs, crime and anti-social behaviour in the town centre and pour cold water over the Towns bid to bring grant funding in to help revive Blyth’s High Street and surrounds.

The proposals were recommended for approval by planning officers, however, the Ashington and Blyth Local Area Council which is made up of mainly Local Labour Councillors concluded at its meeting last September that this was not the right location for such a development.

The applicant appealed this decision.

In papers issued to Northumberland County Council planning department last week planning inspector Alison Scott agreed that ‘the proposal would undermine the vitality and viability of Blyth town centre.

she wrote: ‘Creating well-designed, safe and inclusive places is a multi-dimensional part of successful planning.

‘Crime and disorder and any actual or perceived fear of crime is a material planning consideration. It is not acceptable to merely suggest that anti-social behavioural incidents that may occur at the proposed site could be addressed through other means.

Labour’s Susan Dungworth said: “that while understanding that people need homes, ‘Blyth has more than enough of these types of dwellings’ and that the location was not suitable for this type of housing.

“We spoke to many local people and found there was very little, if any, support for the project,” she added.

“We want to pay tribute to the people who campaigned and we are pleased and relieved, as we are sure they are, that the right decision for Blyth has been made.”

Labour Councillor Brian Gallacher from Ashington said” I know fully,  the hard work that’s been put in by Blyth Labour Councillors to try to improve the future prospects for their town. This application was the wrong one in the wrong town in Northumberland and I’m ever so pleased that the Planning Inspector was of a similar mindset and I’m proud that my colleagues felt they could support the public in the way they did”.