Plans submitted for new housing estate in Northumberland
An outline application for around 125 homes on land at Willowburn Trading Estate has been submitted by three applicants – Northern Commerical Properties, whose registered address is the Estates Office at Alnwick Castle; the Harris & Sheldon Group, Pure Fishing’s landlord; and Northumberland County Council.
The controversial scheme was unveiled in July at a consultation exercise hosted by WYG, which is acting as the agent for the three landowners/applicants.As we reported at the time, the master-plan shows that a number of businesses, including Pure Fishing – which bought the world-famous Hardy and Greys brands in 2013 – are within the proposed building zone.
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Hide AdOther units at the site, including agricultural and horticultural company Rickerby Ltd and Lion House, are outside of the proposed development boundary.
Proposals for housing on the site have been made possible as the trading estate, on South Road, is in line to be de-allocated for continued employment use, due to high vacancy rates and the poor condition of existing premises, as part of modifications proposed for the core strategy of the county council’s local plan.The vision is to start on site in 2018 – if the scheme is approved – and work would take place in a phased approach, ‘to allow for existing businesses to be relocated’.