Concerns raised over plans for nearly 100 new homes in Amble

Northumberland Estates is proposing a ‘lifetime neighbourhood’ scheme comprising 40 houses meeting identified needs for smaller and retirement homes and 58 independent supported living apartments.

Last November, the Duke of Northumberland’s development company withdrew a previous application in agreement with Northumberland County Council to allow further site investigation.

The revised proposal moves the supported living apartments to the eastern end of the site and updates the design to reduce scale and massing, while the main access to the site will now be via Riverside Park due to community concerns over crossing The Braid, a popular area of green space.

However, the proposal has attracted nearly 40 objections from local residents and consultees.

Amble Town Council's planning committee states that whilst smaller residences are needed, this plan is unsuitable due to being on a flood plain and also the potential problems the extra vehicles would create at the junction with the A1068.

Local resident Paul Dancer, who coordinated a campaign of opposition last year, said: "The latest proposal is a poorly reworked version of last year's withdrawn scheme.

"This time 40 open market houses are proposed which will end up as holiday or second homes. The apartment block is now situated immediately in front of the North Bank properties.

"To attempt to overcome the potential flooding issue, between 3,000 and 4,000 lorry movements over many months are likely to export unsuitable material and import sub-base to raise ground level by over two metres.

"All this traffic is proposed through the relatively narrow residential road at Riverside Park where two lorry cannot pass, and is unsuitable for access to 98 residential units if they are ever built.”

Northumberland Estates has been approached for comment.

When the application was lodged last month, its development planner Guy Munden said: "Supported living promotes independence by enabling people to live in their own homes.

"Despite widespread support for the original planning application, some residents expressed concerns about the loss of open space at the Braid.

"In the new application, we have addressed those concerns in full, providing alternative access through the existing residential estate."