Former Moorside School site – planning application withdrawn

We have been notified by Northumberland County Council, the local planning authority, that the planning application for 71 homes at the former Moorside School site (16/03954/FUL) has been withdrawn by the developer.

When we queried this with the developer we were informed that, just prior to Christmas, Northumberland County Council, as landowner, commissioned a new valuation report for the site.  There was a significant increase in the value of the site and the developer could not meet this increase which left their proposal unviable.

We are awaiting a statement from Northumberland County Council but have asked the following:

• what are the plans to market the site, and will be marketed for residential use only as per the housing allocation within the Northumberland Local Plan, and
• whether the site can be tidied up in the meantime.

Councillor Alison Sutherland, Chair of Newbiggin by the Sea Town Council commented, ‘while we understand the County Council has a legal obligation to achieve market value for the site, this is very disappointing to our community.  We have residents that need and want housing in our town, particularly bungalows, and they have been waiting a considerable time for this site to be developed. The site has been left a derelict eyesore for years,  we would like to see the site cleared and tidied by Northumberland County Council and hope that when it goes on the market that we see progress towards much needed new homes.‘