The Chronicle

Too many homes?

- By DANIEL HOLLAND Local democracy reporter daniel.holland@reachplc.com @danholland­news Designs for a 1,200home developmen­t at Newcastle Great Park.

A controvers­ial 1,200-home developmen­t at Newcastle’s Great Park will go ahead, after winning the backing of city planning bosses for a second time.

Despite thousands of objections against the massive building plans from residents and wildlife campaigner­s, Newcastle City Council’s planning committee approved the proposals for Cells A and B1 of the Great Park yesterday morning.

Developers are now hoping to finally press ahead with the proposals, having previously won the council’s permission last January before a legal challenge by Save Newcastle Wildlife and the introducti­on of new national planning rules meant that civic centre chiefs had to reconsider the plans.

More than 8,000 people had signed a Save Newcastle Wildlife petition opposing the project, fearing that it will have a devastatin­g impact on red squirrels and other species at the adjacent Havannah Nature Reserve.

Rachel Locke, of Save Newcastle Wildlife told the committee that there was “no justificat­ion” for the developers – Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey – to be building 1,200 homes on a patch of land that is allocated for just 880.

She added that the developmen­t would cause “extensive harm” to the area due to the loss of access to the green belt, loss of open space and loss of wildlife.

As well as up to 1,200 more homes, this developmen­t would allow for new primary and secondary schools for the area, playing fields and a sports pavilion – which have been relocated since the plans were last considered in January.

Ms Locke urged the committee to defer their decision and push for an alternativ­e design that would see the number of homes reduced and the green belt in Cell B1 left untouched, rather than the playing fields being built on it. She added that approving the plans would damage trust in local politician­s, lead to a costly legal challenge, and serve mainly to “line the pockets of Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey”.

The developers told the committee that building on Cell A was “critical” for the city and would help with attracting other muchneeded amenities to the area.

Dave Abercrombi­e, of Taylor Wimpey, confirmed that a new supermarke­t for the Great Park should be announced “very early in 2019”, adding that the area is “a high-quality place where people want to live and work”.

Lee Crowford, representi­ng Persimmon, said that the homes would be built at a rate of 80 per year and the new residents would help deliver the extra footfall needed to support the growth of the Great Park’s town centre.

Castle ward councillor Aidan King raised concerns about a lack of healthcare provision at the Great Park. While the plans state that healthcare provision will be built, Coun King said it would be left to the local NHS to pick up the cost of running and that insufficie­nt funding was provided for that.

Lib Dem councillor Henry Gallagher – the only committee member who voted against the plans – said he was worried about the trend of developers asking to build more homes than the council has allocated for on sections of land.

The developmen­t, which now has outline planning permission subject to a section 106 agreement being signed, is expected to be completed by 2034.

The council’s cabinet member for employment, Coun Ged Bell, said: “I welcome this developmen­t of 1,200 new homes and all of the associated facilities that will help create a sustainabl­e community.

“Three quarters of the homes will be suitable for families and there will be affordable homes both on and off site to meet the needs of all the community. There will also be two new schools, sports facilities, and informal recreation­al routes.

“I understand the concerns of Save Newcastle Wildlife, but our planning department has worked extremely hard with the applicant to ensure that the adjacent nature reserves of Havannah and Three Hills are protected and enhanced.”

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