Plans to replace electrics in lighthouse cottage
BBC Weather Watchers / Early BirdThere are plans to carry out electrical work at a listed former lighthouse keeper's house.
North Tyneside Council has applied to repair lighting fixtures and carry out minor electrical maintenance at St Mary's Lighthouse keeper's residence in Whitley Bay, which is now a visitor centre.
The plans stated any work would be "carefully considered" so as not to damage the Grade II listed landmark and to maintain its identity.
The Northumberland Wildlife Trust had no objection to the plans but urged the local authority to ensure the work did not contribute to light levels on "internationally important conservation sites".
The lighthouse and keepers' cottage were built in 1898, and underwent redecoration and refurbishment in 2024, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
North Tyneside Council's heritage statement, which is part of its application, states: "St Mary's Lighthouse and Former Keepers' Cottages hold significant social value.
"Over the decades, the site has attracted numerous recreational and educational visitors, reflecting its ongoing popularity and importance."
The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1984 and listed by Historic England in April 2012.
