Northumberland Planning & Building
Contacts Directory

Northumberland became a unitary authority in 2009, replacing the former county council and six district councils. The council covers a vast rural county stretching from the Scottish border to the outskirts of Newcastle. Hadrian's Wall runs across the county - development within the Wall's setting requires a heritage impact assessment. The Northumberland Coast AONB covers the coastline from Berwick to Amble.

Separate planning authority for all land within the National Park boundary. The NPA is also the planning authority for Hadrian's Wall within the Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Permitted development rights within the National Park are more restricted than elsewhere. Pre-application advice is strongly recommended. The NPA has its own Local Plan and policies which differ from the County Council's.

Building Regulations approval (Building Control) is separate from planning permission. Within the National Park, building control is still handled by Northumberland County Council, even though the NPA is the planning authority. You may also use a Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA) anywhere in the county.

Newcastle office. Northumberland's heritage is exceptional in scale and diversity. Hadrian's Wall (UNESCO WHS) stretches across the county with a wide buffer zone within which development proposals require a Heritage Impact Assessment. The county has the highest density of bastle houses (fortified farmhouses) in England, reflecting the Border Reivers era. Bamburgh Castle, Alnwick Castle, Warkworth Castle, Lindisfarne Priory and Dunstanburgh Castle are among many significant scheduled monuments.

Essential for heritage impact assessments across the county. The Northumberland NPA also holds its own heritage records for the National Park area - contact the NPA directly for sites within the Park boundary.

Flood Incident Line: 0345 988 1188 (24hr). The River Tyne, Coquet, Aln, Till and Breamish all have floodplains where development is restricted. The Northumberland coast is largely undeveloped and the dune systems and estuary habitats are highly protected - consult Natural England for any development near designated coastal sites.

Many rural and remote settlements rely on private water supplies or small local schemes. Check mains water availability early for any rural development. Build-over agreements required within 3 metres of a public sewer.

Power cuts: 105. Remote locations in the Cheviot Hills and Border country can have very long electricity connection lead times and significant connection costs. Engage Northern Powergrid at the earliest possible stage for rural development. Northumberland has significant wind and solar energy resources - check with the NPA for renewable energy development within the National Park.

Gas emergency: 0800 111 999. Mains gas is unavailable across large parts of rural Northumberland - oil, LPG and heat pumps are widely used. Always verify gas availability before specifying heating systems for rural sites.

Notify HSE of notifiable construction projects under CDM Regulations at least 2 weeks before work begins.