Bid for housing development on railway station yard near Berwick turned down

Nationwide Design and Development submitted plans last November to build four new dwellings on land west of Velvet Hall Station, near Berwick.

The site occupies part of the yards of the former station on the Tweedmouth to Kelso branch line which closed to passengers in July 1955 and to freight traffic in March 1965.

Over the last 20 years the wider site, near Horncliffe, has been used at varying intensities for open storage of vehicles, especially heavy vehicles and groundworks equipment.

The applicant was aiming to get planning permission to build the homes on the northern side of the site, accessed from the A698. However, the bid has been refused by council planning officers under delegated powers.

Their report says: “Although detached, it is stated in the applicant’s submission documents that the layout would echo the character of a traditional row of railway cottages and that the houses would employ a mixture of stone, timber and other materials to reflect some of the traditional local dwellings.”

A statement by Ferguson Planning, on behalf of the applicant, said that the “landscape impact of the proposal has been assessed to be minor” and the bid “is in general accordance” with the relevant local and national planning policies.

However, planning officers gave five reasons for refusal – some of which are as follows as described in their report.

“The proposal by virtue of its location in the open countryside would result in the construction of new dwellings in an unsustainable location and outside of any settlement identified within the Northumberland Local Plan. There has been no demonstrated need, justification or other material consideration that would justify the construction of new dwellings in this location.

“The visual appearance of the dwellings are not in keeping with the character of the surrounding rural aesthetic and would have a suburbanising effect on landscape.

“The proposed scheme has failed to address highway safety matters in relation to appropriate site access, accessibility and layout.”