Plans submitted for 200 new homes on former Hexham Middle School site

Plans have been submitted that would see the redevelopment of a former middle school into much-needed housing.

The plans, submitted by Northumberland County Council, could see up to 200 homes built on the site of the former Hexham Middle School buildings on Wanless Lane. The school moved to new buildings adjacent to the new Queen Elizabeth High School in 2021.

The council says the development will create a "high quality residential community". The application will also seek to secure more affordable housing than is required by planning policy.

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Coun Richard Wearmouth, Deputy Leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “We’re really pleased to have reached this important milestone for this key site in Hexham.

"We've been clear from the start we want the local community involved throughout and this will continue. We’re confident in the future this site will be a real flagship for the town.”

The application is for outline permission, meaning it will determine if the general concept of a proposed development is acceptable. Further applications will need to be made before any building work is carried out.

Much of the former middle school will be demolished. However the Grade II listed Fellside Building along with the Gatehouse have been excluded from the development site area, with a design code setting out how the buildings can be refurbished and "sympathetically" brought into new uses in the future.

Hexham East's county councillor, Suzanne Fairless Aitken, has long insisted that the site must be used for affordable housing.

Speaking on the submission of the application, Coun Fairless Aitken said: "It's optimistic. I have had reassurances from the leader of the council and the head of planning that it will include social and affordable housing.

"I will keep holding them to it as hard I can. They will be hard-pressed to go back on it now, but it does seem like they have listened.

"We have got a huge gap for social housing in Hexham of around 500 homes. If it doesn't go ahead on this site it will have to go ahead somewhere else in Hexham, which would probably have to be on the greenbelt. It would be an opportunity missed."

The public can access the outline application via the Northumberland public access planning website. Further consultation will take place in the future when a development partner is on board and more detailed plans emerge for the site.