Plans for new council homes in a South Shields neighbourhood are due to go before councillors for decision next week.

South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee will discuss and make a decision on a local authority application for 17 new residential dwellings.

The application for the site, which sits between Reynolds Avenue and Gainsborough Avenue near St Oswald’s Church in Whiteleas ward, was submitted by the council last year.

According to planning documents, the site once housed a care home but is now “mostly level grassed space”.

A design and access statement submitted to council officials noted the housing would be for ‘100 per cent affordable rent’ with a mix of two-storey houses aimed at “families of 3 to 6 people”.

The mix of council homes would include five two-bedroom homes, nine three-bedroom homes and three four-bedroom homes arranged across terraces with dedicated parking and visitor parking bays.

Two new vehicle accesses are also proposed from Reynolds Avenue, with one designed as a ’shared surface’ arrangement “forming a controlled through access to Gainsborough Avenue”.

Those behind the housing scheme said this arrangement would “avoid the creation of multiple turning heads within the narrow site, minimising the visual impact of the proposed highway and maximising the thermal efficiency of the terraces proposed”.

All the homes proposed, subject to approval, are expected to be managed and maintained by South Tyneside Council.

During a council consultation exercise on the plans, there were no representations from members of the public.

Council planning officers, in a report prepared ahead of a decision-making council meeting next week, have recommended the new homes for approval.

The council committee report states: “In terms of the benefits, the proposal would boost housing supply (where there is currently under provision) on a site that is in a sustainable location, close to public transport and local shops.

“Furthermore, it is available for development and the emerging local plan (albeit limited in weight, presently) allocates the site for housing.

“These are matters that should be afforded significant weight in favour of the proposed development.

“In addition, the proposal would deliver a significant contribution towards meeting affordable housing need, which again should be afforded significant weight”.

It was also noted that there would be some tree loss on the site but that a “replacement tree planting and a wider soft landscaping scheme has been proposed to mitigate such loss”.

The final say on the planning application rests with councillors on South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee, who will meet at South Shields Town Hall next week.

The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27, and will start at 10am and members of the public are welcome to attend.

For more information on the housing plan, visit South Tyneside Council’s planning portal website and search reference: ST/0741/23/LAA