Location: Blyth, Northumberland
Local authority: Northumberland County Council
Postcode of nearby property: NE24 5SU
Size: c9.5 hectares (c23 acres)
Site status: Planning permission granted

Project Description
Work started on site in November 2009. Full remediation, that is the removal of pollution or contaminants from environmental media such as soil, groundwater, sediment, or surface water, took place first before the initial phase, the community school (Morpeth Road Primary Academy School), was built. Around 250 new homes, including purpose built flats for people with learning difficulties are to be built in the next few years. The houses will be a mixture of predominantly two and three bedroomed homes. The homes should be built by 2020. These homes will be built using sustainable construction methods and materials as much as possible. There is also an opportunity, which we are exploring, for the homes to be heated through renewable energy sources.  Throughout this on-going project Banks Property has worked well and closely with the key public sectors bodies; namely the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) (as was now Homes England) and Northumberland County Council.

History
The project site was a former colliery site with a rail head, port sidings, a coal stocking area and post World War II housing.

Economic benefits
The regeneration of redundant brown field land created jobs. The construction phase of the new school and homes has created / will create new jobs too.

Social benefits
Public open space, as well as the contribution of land, to enable the construction of a brand new community primary school. Morpeth Road Primary Academy school opened in September 2011. It can accommodate up to 420 pupils.

Environmental benefits
These include the cleaning up of former industrial land and the creation of public open space.

Downloads
Bates Colliery, one pager, March 2017