An eyesore former factory that has been a blot on the landscape for decades will finally be torn down to make way for a new housing development.
Sixty new homes will be built on the derelict site of the Marley Tiles factory on Lead Lane near the border between Northumberland and County Durham. The factory has been closed for more than 20 years, but previous attempts to bring a suitable scheme forward have been unsuccessful.
The proposals, submitted by housing developer Story Homes, went before members of Northumberland County Council’s strategic planning committee on Tuesday. The committee had previously blocked plans from Bellway Homes for a 105-home development on the site in 2019.
Speaking on Tuesday, the area’s ward councillor Colin Horncastle warned that the application represented the last chance to build on the site.
He said: “If you have ever been past the Marley Tiles site, you won’t forget it. It is an absolute eyesore – that doesn’t really cover it. It is desperate and has become an attraction for youths with a lot of anti-social behaviour.
“Two years ago, a young boy fell through the roof and was seriously injured with severe spinal injuries. Everybody wants something done with it, it has been closed for decades and just left to rot.
“I really, really want to see this application passed today. The benefits are to have this site cleared and tidied up and high-quality housing put on.
“If this doesn’t go forward, because of the way the new Government has changed the rules around affordable housing no other developer will ever come forward – they won’t be able to afford it. It is the last chance to get this site cleared up with a wonderful development, that the applicants have really put their hearts into.”
Coun Horncastle added that there was no affordable housing planned for the development due to the rural nature of the site. However, as part of the application the developer would pay £1.2 million to the council to be used for the creation of affordable housing elsewhere in the county.
Coun Jeff Reid, who sat on the committee in 2019 when the previous application was refused, proposed approval of the new scheme.
He said: “I was very vocal in 2019 about how terrible the other scheme was. We have now got a builder who sees the potential in this.
“If we don’t do this, then it will be an eyesore for God knows how long. The solution the officers have found for affordable housing is perfect.
“When it is built, go and see it and be proud that we have supported it, because we’re going from an industrial disaster to a really pleasant place to live.”
The plans were approved by 11 votes to one.
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View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/eyesore-northumberland-tile-factory-demolished-31136104
