Detailed plans for more than 50 new homes on a former North Staffordshire school site look set to be approved by Newcastle councillors.

Newcastle Borough Council refused to grant outline consent for the redevelopment of the Seabridge Community Education Centre site in 2019, but the decision was later overturned at appeal.

Staffordshire County Council sold the Roe Lane site to a housing developer in 2022. Now a detailed application seeking permission for 53 properties, submitted by Vistry Homes, is recommended for approval by Newcastle Borough Council planning officers.

A design and access statement submitted as part of the application said: "The site's previous use was a secondary school and when the school vacated the site was used as a community space which is now disused. Development of this site would allow for the provision of new houses in an appropriate and unused location, including a mix of both market and affordable dwellings."

A housing developer wants to build 55 houses on the former Seabridge Community Education Centre on Roe Lane, Seabridge (Google).

The council's planning committee will consider the proposals at its next meeting on Tuesday (March 26). A mix of two, three, four and five bedroom homes is planned, a report to the committee said, including 13 affordable properties.

It added: "Vehicular access from Ash Way would extend into a new road running east to west, with three north-south streets accessing from this road, including private drives. The houses are arranged back to back with the existing housing and new housing.

"All of the house types proposed are two storey in height and whilst a contrast to the single storey dwellings beyond the eastern site boundary on Roe Lane, the scale of the dwellings would largely reflect the character of the surrounding area. The house types are attractive in appearance and raise no concerns in terms of visual amenity.

There will be a mix of two, three, four and five bedroom homes (Vistry Homes).

"Representations have been received from a number of residents of dwellings along Roe Lane beyond the eastern boundary; the concerns raised by these local residents focuses on a loss of amenity, privacy and sunlight to their respective properties. It is accepted that the two storey height of dwellings in this location would be a contrast to the single storey properties on Roe Lane, but this does not automatically mean that the dwellings would result in a loss of privacy, outlook and light to the rear elevations and garden spaces of these properties."

Four objections have been received by the council in response to the application. Isobel Plant said "My husband and I are very concerned about the looming property so close to our living quarters, which will completely affect our sense of privacy and block out our lovely private view."

Gail Harrison said: "(Plot 43) would be a massive invasion of our privacy due to bedrooms being able to view all of our garden our conservatory, lounge, dining area, bedrooms which are on the ground floor, and these would be visible from their upstairs windows. Also we are concerned regarding the electric housing unit that is behind our back garden and we feel that this is a danger to ourselves and grandchildren who visit us."

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