Homes aim to tackle dwindling population 'problem'
Getty ImagesPlans for more than 100 homes in a coastal village popular with tourists have been approved with restrictions in place to prevent them being used as second homes.
The Miller Homes development will be built on land near Seafield Sports Park on Broad Road in Seahouses, Northumberland.
The area has seen its population fall significantly this century as more and more properties were bought as second homes or holiday lets.
Speaking at a meeting of Northumberland County Council's strategic planning committee this week, local councillor Guy Renner-Thompson said there was a "population problem on the Northumberland coast" leading to issues around services and available workers.
"Since the millennium, the population of Seahouses has fallen by 285 people, or 14.5%," Renner-Thompson told colleagues.
"Beadnell has fallen by 18% and Bamburgh by 29%. This is not insignificant.
"Seahouses Primary School has less than 70 pupils. Local employers are struggling to recruit and community groups and services are becoming harder to sustain."
Councillor Trevor Thorne, the committee's chairman, said: "We have a large village but we want to see it function during the winter.
"For that, we need primary residents living there."
The development will include six two-bedroom homes, 35 three-beds, 45 four-beds and 22 five-beds.
Of those, 19 will be designated as affordable housing, equating to 18% of the total number of homes.
Miller Homes is in contact with social housing provider Bernicia which is proposing that eight of the affordable homes be made available for social or affordable rent, with the remaining ones available at a discount market rent.
Restrictions will mean all houses on the development must be used as a principal occupancy in perpetuity, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
The plans were recommended for approval by council planners and members unanimously agreed to follow the recommendation.