Former site of Bates Colliery, the majority of which has been vacant for many years following the final closure of the pit in 1986. All the former colliery buildings have been cleared and only a few remnants of industrial infrastructure remain across the wider site. This offers a significant redevelopment opportunity to the north of Blyth town centre. The land requires extensive remediation due to the former use. The original outline permission for 327 homes across the whole site was granted in 2009 (08/00169/OUT). A detailed permission for 257 homes then followed in 2013 (12/03370/REM). The remediation works were carried out following this. A revised application was then approved in 2017 for phase-1 of the development (16/04622/FUL). This involves development of 142 two-, three- and four-bed semi and detached dwellings, on a smaller element of the site (4573a). Works commenced in 2018. Development of 8 dwellings completed in 2023/24. The remainder of the site, theoretically having a yield of 115 homes, is identified on a separate record (4573b). NB - since securing the initial reserved matters, the eastern part of the site initially identified for residential development, but subsequently excluded from the 2017 revised scheme, has been sold to the Port of Blyth (4573b). This parcel is to be utilised for port-related employment uses and is no longer available for housing residential development. As a result, the indicative balance of 115 dwellings from the original permission for 257 homes is now discounted in the SHLAA. A further sub-parcel covered by the original outline consent, now the site of a new school, is also identified separately (4573c).
Former Bates Colliery Site (Phase/Area 1), Blyth