South Tyneside planners deliver verdict on riding school's bid to turn stables into holiday home
Plans to convert a stables building into a new “holiday home” at a South Tyneside riding school site have been given the green light.
South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved an application for a building at the North Lizard Riding School complex, which sits off Lizard Lane in the Whitburn and Marsden ward.
Council planning documents have previously described the site as a “riding school and residential properties with various outbuildings including stables and other barn buildings” and noted the site sits “entirely within the Green Belt.”
Details of the development were outlined in a heritage, design and access statement submitted to council officials, which confirmed the “primary use of the proposed dwelling would be as a holiday home/holiday let”.
In this context, applicants said “it is not considered necessary to provide specific, segregated, outdoor amenity space as the owner/occupiers will have almost unlimited outdoor amenity to enjoy through the coastal location of the property and the immediate access to pedestrian, cycle, and bridle paths”.
It was noted that the layout of the stables building would be “completely changed and sub-divided to create a cottage with living and sleeping accommodation on the ground floor and a gallery area to provide additional living space at first floor level”.
Those behind the scheme said the “appearance of the building and the site as a whole is considered to be improved by the conversion” and that “no landscaping is proposed as there is no intention to change the setting of the stable”.
Applicants added it was “assumed that the principle of the conversion is acceptable in planning terms due to the recent [approved planning] permission reference ST/0749/24 for the conversion of two other barns on the site which includes the removal of some existing barns and the overall improvement of the Green Belt location”.
They also said the plans would not cause any “significant residential amenity, privacy, or overshadowing issues” to neighbours and said the proposed use would “result in a reduction in traffic movements to and from the site”, due to the reduction of active stable uses.
During a council public consultation exercise there was one representation in support stating the proposal would “bring more economy to the area via tourism.”
After considering the planning application, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it on October 17, 2025.
Council planners, in a decision report, said the development was “considered to be acceptable in principle, in a sustainable location, and is not considered to be inappropriate development in the Green Belt”.
It was noted that the “proposed alterations to the existing stable including the slate roof, infill red brick walling, additional windows, doors and rooflights are all considered acceptable in terms of their visual appearance”.
On residential amenity matters, council planners said the proposal “would not have any associated external private amenity space” and that “this is not considered possible […] given the constraints of the site and position of the existing buildings”.
Council planners said that “potential residents / users of the proposal would also be aware of this arrangement prior to occupation” and that “future occupants of the proposal would be aware of the site’s part existing operation as a riding school in terms of noise and odour matters”.
On highway safety and parking matters, it was noted that the “development proposes to utilise the same site access as for the existing dwellings within the overall site and for users of the riding school” and that “parking for the dwellings would be located on the southern part of the site”, with no objections from the council’s highway department.
The council decision report adds: “The site is, in principle, considered to be an acceptable location for the proposal.
“The proposal overall would be sustainable development for the purposes of NPPF [National Planning Policy Framework] paragraph 11 and in accordance with relevant local and national planning policy in terms of Green Belt,highways / parking, archaeology, contaminated land, ecology, design, and residential amenity considerations.”
Applicants previously said the proposed dwelling would “use only one car, possibly two or three times a day at most” and that “the site has operated for many years without any problem of vehicular-pedestrian conflict [with] the situation improved by the relatively recent traffic calming and [set to be] further improved by the reduction in vehicle movement”.
Those behind the scheme said that proposed works would “make a positive contribution to the character and setting of the riding school and the Green Belt as a whole” and would lead to “improved amenity for the existing residential properties on the site”.
The heritage, design and access statement adds: “The stables are not financially viable on their own [and] their conversion to residential use will continue to help maintain the viability of the remaining riding activities, particularly the riding school itself.”
Under planning conditions, the development must be brought forward within three years.
For more information on the plan and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 250540
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