March 2025
Story Homes is delighted to have secured a resolution to grant planning permission to deliver 60 new high quality homes in Northumberland, which will see the redevelopment of the former Marley Tiles factory site near Ebchester on the County Durham border.
Northumberland County Council resolved to grant planning consent for the hybrid application at its Planning Committee meeting on 04 March 2025, subject to completion of a Section 106 Agreement*.
This exciting new scheme of four to six-bedroom homes from Story Homes’ ‘Signature Range’ has been sensitively designed, taking into consideration the local landscape context, and includes three distinctive character areas set across the three different levels of the site. The development process has involved a public consultation and ongoing engagement with key stakeholders to inform the design process, making sure the development will represent locally distinctive Northumberland values as well as the site’s immediate setting.
The ‘Farm’, ‘Village’ and ‘Woodland’ character areas will be defined by the choice of elevational treatments, creating the striking street scenes for which Story Homes is renowned, and will fit together seamlessly through the inclusion of landscaping and open space areas, with a village green, mobility hub and cycle hub at the heart of the newly created community.
The development will include improved habitats for wildlife, and the high specification new homes will benefit from various sustainability features, such as electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities, low carbon heating systems and triple A rated appliances.
As part of the scheme, Story Homes will work closely with the Council to agree a package of community measures and contributions in line with the Section 106 Agreement. These financial contributions will total more than £1.2m, providing infrastructure improvements to benefit new and existing local residents – including education, open space, transport and an offsite affordable housing contribution.
New bus stops will also be provided offsite on the B6309 and a contribution of £300,000 will be made as a bus service subsidy, improving bus frequencies at peak times for local residents and those who use the bus service in other rural locations – such as Whittonstall, Dilston and Slaley.
Richard Swann, North East Senior Planning Manager at Story Homes, said: “We are delighted that Northumberland County Council has resolved to approve our plans for 60 new homes at the former Marley Tiles factory site.
“This is a key site for Story Homes as we continue to focus on growth throughout the Lancashire area, building on the success of our current schemes in Preston – D’Urton Manor, Elston Park and Longton Grange. These developments continue to be popular with customers as demand for our high quality homes in the area remains high.”
“This development is not only a significant investment in new homes for Northumberland, but also a thoughtful approach to enhancing the local community. By prioritising flexible, modern designs, sustainable living and a comprehensive package of community contributions, we are committed to creating a desirable new scheme that reflects the values and character of the area. This is a key site for Story Homes as we continue to focus on growth throughout the North East and we look forward to construction works beginning and seeing our plans coming to life.”
This new residential development will also create benefits for the local economy during the construction phase as a result of direct and indirect employment opportunities through the sub-contractor and supply chains, as well as an increased demand for local services when the new homes are occupied.
It is anticipated that on-site works for this new scheme will commence in autumn 2025.
*A Section 106 Agreement is a legal agreement between an applicant seeking planning permission and the local planning authority, which is used to mitigate the impact of any new homes on the local community and infrastructure
