Scheme for dilapidated former community centre in Berwick approved for second time

Berwick Youth Project is planning to create nine new flats, as well as a new house and workshop block, on the site of the town’s former community centre and grammar school on Palace Street East.

The proposals include the renovation and conversion of the former Georgian Townhouse and associated Victorian school buildings to “habitable accommodation”, while two prefab outbuildings dating back to the First World War would be removed to build a new home and workshop.

The flats would consist of eight supported accommodation units and a caretaker’s flat, while the garage block would be operated by the youth project for “community use in line with the charity’s objectives”.

The plans were initially approved by councillors on the North Northumberland Local Area Council in January. However, a solicitor’s letter was received on behalf of an objector, stating that the original officer report had “failed to explicitly mention paragraph 204 of the National Planning Policy Framework”.

The paragraph states “Local planning authorities should not permit the loss of the whole or part of a heritage asset without taking all reasonable steps to ensure the new development will proceed after the loss has occurred.”

The objection related to the loss of the First World War huts and as such, planning bosses made the decision to review the application – although the recommendation was still to grant approval with the addition of a condition that ‘no works of demolition shall begin before evidence of a binding contract for the full implementation of the comprehensive scheme of development (and associated planning permission for which the contract provides) has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority’.

Speaking at Thursday’s meeting of the North Northumberland Local Area Committee, objector and local resident Dr Julian Smart called on members to refuse the application.

He said: “Today, three important things hang in the balance – the fate of a much-loved view from the town walls, a serious harm to an existing conservation area, and the demolition of two rare, 20th century buildings unique in Berwick. Today, you have the opportunity to save all three of those things.

“There is another way. Let another, more respectful application be submitted. This is a wilful act of self-harm. We will not be forgiven for this.”

However, John Bell of the Berwick Youth Project defended the application. He said work had been ongoing to find a new home for the huts that would see them dismantled and moved rather than “bulldozed” and warned that if the plans didn’t go through, the youth project would move to “dispose” of the property on the open market as soon as possible.

In the end, councillors came down on the side of the applicant.

Coun Trevor Thorne said: “I do see having new workshops will be more beneficial than having the World War One huts. I’m very much in favour of the project and I’m delighted we’re finding a use for it.”

All but one councillor voted to approve the plans. Berwick North member Coun Catherine Seymour, who abstained, said: “I feel sad – there is weak protection around heritage.”

Speaking after the meeting of the local area committee, Mr Bell said: “We're very pleased with the outcome of the planning meeting.

“Having thought we’d got the necessary permissions back in January, it was a disappointment to have the decision withdrawn and to go through the process all over again, principally due to objections concerning the wooden huts to the rear of the main building.

“The site gives us a great opportunity to construct a really valuable storage and training facility, in addition to our supported accommodation, and unfortunately the huts need to go.

“We’ll do our utmost to relocate them elsewhere, but so far a number of organisations have turned them down.

“If there's anyone in the local community that would like to offer them a home, we’d be glad to speak to them.”

Dr Smart said: “We are disappointed; great harm to Berwick’s heritage, a conservation area and enjoyment of the town walls has been permitted on the pretext of saving the old Grammar School.

“As we have always maintained, the over-large new builds proposed for the back yard are unrelated to preserving the main building and completely unnecessary when two rare, century-old buildings could be refurbished and re-used, preserving the conservation area in the process.

“In future, those walking the newly signposted England Coast Path along the town walls may be surprised to find that what was a beautiful, unspoilt view of a historic townscape has been marred by a brash new development, motivated principally by the need to store canoes.

“What they may not know is that to build them, a rare First World War Army hut and an even rarer 1908 Speirs classroom will have been demolished, a move condemned by the Victorian Society, the 20th Century Society, and Historic Buildings and Places.

“It should be of great concern to all who live in or visit Berwick that our heritage, so vital to tourism, is highly vulnerable to the whims of developers. The views of concerned local residents and those of respected heritage organisations have been pushed aside and our alternative proposal ignored.

“We shall, however, continue to raise awareness of what Berwick and its visitors are about to lose.”