© Kevin O'Hara
The Newcastle/Gateshead ONE Core Strategy is a spatial planning document, released by Newcastle City Council, that sets out things such as land allocations for development over the next 15 years. As the leading wildlife conservation charity in Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside, we have been vocal in our comments on the strategy - please explore this page for information.
Making our voices heard...
Northumberland Wildlife Trust strongly believes that many of the proposals included in the 'ONE Core Strategy' document could impact heavily upon important areas for wildlife, including Gosforth Park, one of the best sites within the city.
Visit Newcastle City Council's consultation page to access and download relevant documents, and see the RSPB's response to the plan. Also see the Planning Policy (Newcastle City Council) team's response to consultation feedback.
Where we stand...
The Trust is not anti-development, taking each individual planning application on its merits and looking to secure the best deal for local wildlife, but we are concerned that these proposals, coupled with similar pressures in North Tyneside and South East Northumberland, will compromise the integrity of our natural resource and the capacity for residents to enjoy and respect nature on their doorsteps.
As this document relates to development in the future we thought it very important to comment on it, so please read our comments on the strategy.
Latest updates...
The round of consultations has now finished, and Newcastle City Council are reviewing and considering the feedback given. Over 5000 people took the opportunity to share their views on the draft plan over the last few months, by attending one of the consultation events, completing questionnaires, writing letters or feeding back comments online.
From initial feedback, some residents expressed concerns that the council should be doing more to protect green belt land, encouraging more brownfield development, and bringing empty homes back into use. Others have said the current economic conditions will not encourage investment in house building, and questioned our assumption about population growth.
Concerns have also been raised about the potential impact of allowing development close to the Gosforth Park Nature Reserve.
Next steps...
Newcastle City Council are now preparing a report for a special council Cabinet meeting on 28 February about the plan, outlining all the feedback so far. These will be considered, and amendments to the plan will be agreed in June, with further consultation events to be organised over the summer period. The plan will then be redrafted after the second phase of consultation which should be finished by December 2012. The plan will then be reviewed and updated, and finally submitted to government and an Independent Planning Inspector in Spring 2013.