POLICY PE1
WITHIN THE POLICY ZONES AS DEFINED ON THE PROPOSALS MAP INSET No. 27 THE CHANGE OF USE OF PREMISES, OTHER THAN A1 SHOPPING USES, TO OFFICES WILL BE ACCEPTABLE, SUBJECT TO ALL THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:-
i) WHERE PROPOSALS INVOLVE THE CHANGE OF USE OF AN EXISTING RESIDENTIAL BUILDING THE DOMESTIC APPEARANCE OF THAT BUILDING SHALL BE MAINTAINED.
ii) FOR OTHER BUILDINGS, THE APPEARANCE OF THE PROPERTY IS NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
iii) PROPOSALS DO NOT HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE AMENITY OF ADJACENT PROPERTY OR ON THE GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE VILLAGE CENTRE.
iv) WHERE APPROPRIATE, PROPOSALS WILL INCLUDE PROVISION OF LANDSCAPING AND TREE PLANTING.
v) ADEQUATE SERVICING SPACE IS PROVIDED.
vi) ADEQUATE CAR PARKING SPACE IS PROVIDED TO A STANDARD OF ONE SPACE PER 30 SQUARE METRES OF GROSS FLOORSPACE.

34.17.1 An assessment of the potential for office development in Ponteland has been undertaken (See para 6.14.1). The study concluded that there was active private sector involvement in new build development and conversion and that no case could be made for public sector provision of office space. The recent development at Brewery Lane, together with the reuse of the first floor above the Walter Willson supermarket has maintained a supply of small and medium office floorspace.

34.17.2 The former Ponteland Local Plan contained a series of policies relating to the use of buildings in the village centre, in which office use was generally identified as an acceptable alternative to the existing use. The central commercial area then defined is retained and it is considered appropriate to combine the previous detailed site specific policies into a more general policy relating to office use in Ponteland's central commercial area, subject to relevant development control criteria being satisfied.