Plans officially submitted to demolish South Tyneside College and build huge housing estate

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has received an application for the site of South Tyneside College, off St George’s Avenue, in the Westoe ward.

New plans from Avant Homes North East aim to demolish existing buildings and structures and to erect up to 260 homes, as well as associated access, car parking and infrastructure works.

The plans are part of the college’s planned move to South Shields town centre, with several other major planning applications currently awaiting decision from council planning chiefs.

This includes a relocated new college campus between King Street and Coronation Street in the town centre, and a new student accommodation block off Fowler Street.

Plans to redevelop the current college site are the latest application linked to the wider college relocation scheme and have been submitted with a range of supporting documents.

A design and access statement notes the site “offers excellent opportunities for the creation of a distinctive residential neighbourhood”.

Those behind the development added the plans would make a “significantcontribution to addressing the housing need” in South Tyneside.

Access to the proposed housing estate would be taken via the existing college access point at St George’s Avenue, as well as two new access points being created off Grosvenor Road to the south of the development.

Plans show houses offering up to five bedrooms, with open spaces and pedestrian links also distributed across the development site.

The overall housing mix is proposed to be 28 two-bedroom houses, 88 three-bedroom houses, 75 four-bedroom houses and 69 five-bedroom houses.

At least one parking space has been proposed per dwelling, with larger properties having more spaces, as well as wider visitor parking provision.

It is also expected that the proposals, including demolition zones for buildings, will result in the removal of more than half of the individual trees on-site, which equates to around 156 trees.

In addition 12 of the groups of trees on site are proposed for removal, however it is proposed to provide a total of 288 new trees on the site to help “mitigate” the tree loss.

A planning statement and design and access statement submitted to council officials provide conflicting information on the level of affordable homes proposed as part of the housing development.

The submitted planning statement suggests the entire site is proposed for ‘market dwellings’ only.

This aims to “generate the sale receipt for the college which is a critical component of the funding towards the cost of the relocation of the campus to a new state of the art modern facility in South Shields town centre”.

The planning statement adds there is also a “clear strategy for the re-provision of playing pitches through the new and enhanced sports pitch provision at Harton and Westoe Miners Welfare Ground and Epinay School”.

However details of this sports provision are said to be “the subject of separate planning application[s]”.

An Avant Homes spokesperson said: “We have submitted a planning application to deliver 260 much needed two, three, four and five-bedroom new homes for people living in, or wanting to move to, South Shields.

“We are currently in discussions with the local authority about the affordable housing element of our proposed development.”

Plans for housing on the South Tyneside College site have also been welcomed by a senior councillor on South Tyneside Council.

Councillor Margaret Meling, cabinet member for economic growth and transport, said: “This application is a further key piece of the jigsaw in our ambition to relocate the college into South Shields town centre.

“The proposal would provide modern, family homes on the site of the current outdated college facilities.

“Applications have already been lodged for sites in South Shields town centre for a new purpose-built campus, student accommodation and refurbishment of a listed building at Barrington Street and for new sports facilities at the Harton & Westoe Miners Welfare site in Low Lane, South Shields.

“With all the applications due to be determined later this year, the project is gathering pace and we are one step closer to making our exciting plans a reality.”

A decision on housing plans for the South Tyneside College site will be made once a period of council consultation has concluded.

Comments can be made on the planning application, via South Tyneside Council’s planning website, until October 17, 2023.

For more information on the plan or to track its progress, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning website and search reference: ST/0676/23/FUL