New plans lodged for 52-space car park just yards from stunning Northumberland beach

An application seeking permission for a 52-space car park on land near Cheswick Sands has been submitted by the Crossman Will Trust.

A similar application was refused by Northumberland County Council last year for various reasons including countryside policies, drainage and ecology.

A more detailed submission has now been lodged to fully address these matters including separate technical reports to address ecological and drainage matters.

The beach, between Berwick and Holy Island, has limited parking on the approach road at the moment and gets congested at peak times.

A planning report states: "The applicant owns land adjacent to the existing Cheswick Sands car park and is keen to develop a new 50 space car park to cater for current demand.

"The existing car park is small with no defined spaces. The car park allows for approximately 10 cars but regularly overflows due to current demand which results in vehicles parking along the highway verge.

“This applicant is keen to alleviate the current parking problem by providing a larger, fit-for-purpose car parking area that would concentrate all cars within one, well managed and appropriately landscaped area.

"In turn, this would result in improvements to highway safety and would improve the character of this part of the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).”

The Crossman Trust has engaged with the Northumberland Coast AONB Partnership in advance of lodging the application.

"Feedback has been positive, acknowledging the current problem,” states the planning report. “The applicant has also engaged with the parish council who have voiced their support.”

The report adds: “The proposals are to address a specific parking problem at the site itself. The area is popular with visitors because of its proximity to the attractive coastline.

“The applicant would argue that there are significant planning benefits that arise from constructing a well landscaped, purpose-built car park at the site. This results in a positive impact on the landscape and the AONB.

"If a new car park is not constructed, the current parking problem will continue and would continue to have a more significant, wider impacting, visual impact on the AONB.”

Initially, the applicant does not propose any parking charges.