Local residents, the Natural History Society of Northumbria and Northumberland Wildlife Trust are encouraging people to join their “Save Gosforth Wildlife” campaign to oppose plans put forwards by housing developers and Newcastle and North Tyneside Councils that would surround Gosforth Park Nature Reserve with over 800 new homes. On this page you can find information about the plans and how to join the campaign and use your voice to help protect this fantastic nature reserve and its wildlife for future generations.
There are currently two seperate housing proposals threatening the nature reserve:
1. Newcastle City Council is in the process of producing its latest Local Development Plans, which are called the NewcastleGateshead One Core Strategy. This plan will say where housing development can take place for the next 20 years. In the first draft of this plan, which was made public in October 2011, Newcastle Council has identified the fields next to the reserve (to the east and south) for the building of 600 homes even though this is greenbelt land next to the city’s most important wildlife site. It is not a coincidence that this land is owned by Persimmon Homes who are lobbying the council to build their homes on it. To find out more about these plans, why we are opposed to them and how you can get involved and object then click here.
2. On December 7th 2011 we heard that Bellway Homes had submitted a planning application to build 366 executive homes just 400 metres to the north-east of the reserve on fields at White House Farm, which is in North Tyneside Council area. We have until the end of January 2012 to give North Tyneside Council our views on this. To find out more about the plans, the reasons we are against them and how to object click here. Please help if you can.
YOUR VIEWS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. You can stop the destruction of our wildlife and countryside by telling the Councils that you object to their plans. The more people who object the better the chance we have to stop these terrible proposals and to save our wildlife and open spaces for future generations.
otter at Gosforth Park
If you can, please help to tell other people. Neither Council has not gone out of its way to tell people about its plans. Please encourage friends, neighbours and colleagues to get involved. Campaigners have set up a Save Gosforth Wildlife Facebook page, and website to help spread the word, post pictures and keep people informed, You can also follow the campaign on Twitter.
If you would like to get involved in this campaign and help to save this site from development please get in touch with us via Facebook, Twitter or the Society office.
