South Shields store to move to new and improved premises

A newsagents and post office in South Shields is set to move to new and improved premises following a decision by planning chiefs.

This week, South Tyneside Council’s planning department gave the green light to a planning application for 22 and 23 Horsley Hill Square.

This included changing the use of the units to a single post office/convenience store under planning use ‘class E.’

According to planning documents, a post office and newsagents currently based at unit 19 is planning to relocate to the vacant units, which were last occupied by the St Clare’s hospice charity shop and a food takeaway.

Under new plans, the units would be merged into one single space alongside the installation of an aluminium shop front and rear single storey extension.

During consultation, two objections were received from neighbours raising issues including potential traffic impacts from deliveries along the back lane, wider highway safety fears and noise issues during construction.

In a decision report, planners confirmed that there would be no increase in the number of deliveries following the relocation and that incidents related to parked cars and speeding vehicles along Marsden Lane were “not relevant to this planning application.”

They added that the construction period for the planned extension would be a “temporary measure.”

After considering all evidence, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved the change of use on September 15 2021.

The decision report, published on the council’s website, added that the scheme would benefit the local shopping area.

It goes on to say: “Horsley Hill Square is a Local Neighbourhood Shopping Centre.

“Policy SA5 (Retail Opportunities) seeks to promote and encourage proposals that broaden the range of shopping facilities, to improve the vitality and viability of the borough’s district and other local neighbourhood shopping centres.

“It is considered that the proposed use (class E) would be an appropriate use for this site, particularly as the post office is currently located at 19 Horsley Hill Square.

“In addition, merging two units to create one bigger unit would be preferable to having a vacant unit in terms of the viability and vitality of the shopping centre.”

The planning application states there would be 12 full-time employees at the new store.

In addition, opening hours would be limited to 7am-9pm, Monday to Friday and 8am-9pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.