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NORTHUMBERLAND Area Developments - Areas of Northumberland NOT covered on the Newcastle Metro Area Forum

99K views 396 replies 21 participants last post by  Ken O'Heed 
#1 ·
A QUESTION . . .

Are there any geographical parts of North East England that are not really covered by our various internal "City-led" sub-forums?

There does appear to be those more-rural areas in between the main urban areas covered by our internal sub-forums, that often seem to 'fall through the cracks' for coverage here on SSC.

This 'communal area' underneath the links to those sub-forums, seems a good place for these (often covering shared subjects) for threads for these areas to be kept.

AN EXAMPLE . . .

The remit of the 'Newcastle Metro Area' sub-forum includes South Northumberland, and to that end we have "Area Developments" threads on there for places like Blyth and Cramlington, and as far North as Morpeth. We also have the 'Tyne Valley' covered on its own Developments thread, for places like Prudhoe and Hexham.

However, areas of Northumberland further West than Prudhoe/Hexham, and further North than (say) Morpeth probably do not readily fall under the "Newcastle Metro Area" remit.

So, I think we can cover areas like this in new threads here in this 'communal area' of our North East England Forum

I thought I would kick it off with this thread entitled - Northumberland Area Developments - Areas and Subjects NOT being covered on the "Newcastle" Forum

In conclusion:

I will also set up similar "subjects not being covered on" threads for other similar areas such as North Lincolnshire (near Hull) County Durham (near Sunderland and Durham Cities) etc.

This would provide coverage for areas of our region that have really been 'left out' so far, as well as (at long last) utilising this almost 'empty' area of our forum, underneath the links to our internal City-led Sub-forums, that many of us 'pass through' every time we log in . .

Our own North East England "Communal Area" . . .
 
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#108 ·
Plans to turn Allendale's Dale Hotel into housing
by Paul Tully, The Journal, November 21st 2011



AN eyesore former hotel which has stood empty and decaying for six years could be set for a new lease of life.

And that would bring cheers all round for the Northumberland village of Allendale.

Locals say the old-fashioned village square has been blighted by the steady deterioration of the prominent Dale Hotel since it was last occupied almost a decade ago.

But now, owner John Champ has laid new plans to turn the imposing three-storey building into a mix of houses and flats.

And parish council vice-chairman Robert Philipson declared yesterday: “The village will be delighted that something is at last being done.

“It needs developing in some way – it will have deteriorated in the last six years and it has been an eyesore for a while.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...el-into-housing-61634-29810625/#ixzz1eL0moCy5
 
#109 ·
Rock Hall School near Alnwick forced to close
by Sara Nichol, The Journal, November 25th 2011



A POPULAR school at the heart of a rural Northumberland community has announced it will close. Rock Hall School, near Alnwick, will close its doors in July next year after rising costs and falling pupil numbers made it impossible for teaching to continue.

Founded in 1984 and teaching children from nursery to 13, it is the last remaining independent school between Newcastle and Berwick. The announcement, made to parents this week, will see 20 job losses and around 50 children being forced to find another school for the beginning of the next academic year.

Co-headteacher Lalage Bosanquet, who started the school in a shed in her back garden nearly three decades ago, said it was with great sadness the decision had been made.

She said: “It is with great regret that the governing body of Rock Hall School has decided that the school will close at the end of the summer term. “A combination of rising costs, falling rolls and the continuing demands of government legislation make it impossible to carry on.

“The school is determined to celebrate their success in the remaining months.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...forced-to-close-61634-29839102/#ixzz1ei7zv0CF
 
#110 ·
Alcan smelter still to close despite Chancellor's support package
by William Green, The Journal, November 30th 2011


THE OWNERS of the Alcan smelter in Lynemouth still plan to shut it despite the Chancellor unveiling a £250m package to stop such closures in energy-intensive industries.

George Osborne cheered energy-intensive industries by confirming a £250m package of support in a bid to keep industry and jobs in Britain.

But Alcan owners Rio Tinto were still pressing ahead with closure plans last night which would mean the loss of 515 jobs plus hundreds more in the supply chain.

In his Autumn Statement on the economy, Mr Osborne said he was worried about the combined impact of green policies adopted by Britain and the European Union on heavy, energy-intensive industries.

“We’re not going to save the planet by shutting down our steel mills and our aluminium smelters, our paper manufacturers,” said the Chancellor.

He told MPs that the £250m scheme over the life of the current Parliament “will keep industry and jobs here in Britain”.

But a Rio Tinto Alcan spokesman said: “It is still our intention to close subject to consultation and to any interest that may emerge in the smelter as a consequence of this announcement.”


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...support-package-61634-29866926/#ixzz1fB7e96y1
 
#111 ·
Northumberland National Park chief calls for wind farm rethink
by Paul Tully, The Journal, December 3rd 2011


NORTHUMBERLAND National Park chief John Riddle yesterday called for an urgent rethink on Government wind-farm strategy to protect the region’s most treasured landscapes.

A deluge of applications has hit Northumberland, leading to growing fears that parts of the county could be overrun by turbines. Government policy encourages green energy development, and wind farm developers have targeted Northumberland’s wide open spaces.

Turbines are banned from the National Park, but a number of developments are planned close to its borders, with one just 100 yards away.

Yesterday Coun Riddle said: “I think there is a real need for a rethink on strategy. Wind farms are not a guaranteed success. How many jobs do they create and how much energy do they produce? If the wind doesn’t blow, what guarantee is there?

“We should be looking at things in the round, and not putting all our eggs in one basket. “I’m a great supporter of small-scale wind energy, but I am not happy with the exploitation of the wild Northumbrian landscape and the great attraction that we have here being decimated by money-making developers.

Coun Riddle, who farms in Bellingham, close to the Northumberland National Park boundary, is worried at the impact of wind farms on the National Park. Although the park is protected by law against wind farm development within its boundaries, the fringe zone is not safeguarded.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...nd-farm-rethink-61634-29887011/#ixzz1fSwcFxlx
 
#112 ·
Vince Cable told to back 2,000 jobs plan after Alcan announcement
by Adrian Pearson, The Journal, December 3rd 2011



VINCE Cable has been told to urgently back plans to create 2,000 Northumberland jobs in the wake of the Alcan redundancy announcement.

Council leaders from across the North East have sent a joint letter to the Business Secretary urging him to intervene with incentives and support for firms in Northumberland.

Their move comes after Rio Tinto Alcan said there has so far been no Government announcement which will lead it to keep open the Lynemouth aluminium smelter, with more than 500 jobs set to go as a result and the knock-on effect at the onsite power station alone, would see another 110 jobs go.

Sunderland Council leader Paul Watson sent the joint letter to the Business Secretary in his role as the chairman of the Association of North East Councils.

In the letter, backed by Northumberland County Council leader Jeff Reid, Mr Watson said a plan was already being formed to create thousands of jobs and that this must now be backed as a Department for Business priority.

It is believed the businesses and council making up the North East local enterprise partnership are bringing forward plans to seek support for new industries in the area to offset the closure, expected in May. When Teesside’s Corus factory was under threat the Government stepped in with £60m to retrain staff, put up land and help new firms come to the area.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...an-announcement-61634-29888229/#ixzz1fT8NztWP
 
#113 ·
Northumberland County Council
advertising signs policy set to change

by David Black, The Journal, December 9th 2011



A ROW over a council purge on roadside signs in Northumberland is set to result in a more positive approach to rural businesses and community groups which need to advertise their services and events. A storm of protests erupted last summer when county council officials ordered the removal of a number of adverts which businesses and local organisations had put up to attract vital customers, visitors and trade.

Rural farm enterprises, pubs, the annual Glanton Show and a village football club were among those threatened with enforcement action – or even prosecution – unless they took down the roadside signs and banners.

The widespread anger over the crackdown led to council chief executive Steve Stewart ordering an internal review.

The findings will be discussed by the executive next month with a view to agreeing a consistent policy across Northumberland. A report seeking the views of scrutiny committee members next week says there is a difficult challenge in striking a balance between supporting rural enterprises and protecting Northumberland’s natural assets against unsightly clutter.

The review has concluded that the council should adopt a “positive approach” to advertising signs to help support businesses and community groups.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...y-set-to-change-61634-29922448/#ixzz1g26LD1sl
 
#114 ·
150th anniversary celebrations for Kielder Viaduct
by Tony Henderson, The Journal, December 28th 2011



CELEBRATIONS are being lined up for the 150th anniversary of Kielder Viaduct, a bridge designed by a mathematician to have added historical interest.

Kielder Viaduct in Northumberland, now a scheduled ancient monument, was opened in 1862 as part of the Borders County Railway. This ran from Hexham in Northumberland to Riccarton Junction in Dumfries and Galloway.

The sandstone viaduct was built in the “baronial” style, with a castellated parapet and false arrow slits to complement the architecture of nearby Kielder Castle.

But as the railway line crossed the River North Tyne at an angle it was necessary to construct the seven arches at an oblique angle to the track and parallel to the river to minimise resistance from the current.

The result is a rare example of a skew viaduct, whereby the arches are built at a skewed angle – with each stone having to be individually shaped.

This construction presented a complex engineering problem which was solved by Peter Nicholson, a mathematician from Newcastle School of Design, who worked out the shape of each individual wedge-shaped stone for the arches so that those at the top would lie at a right angle to the viaduct’s deck allowing for extra strength and stability.

The viaduct is now considered to represent the finest remaining example of the skew arch form of construction.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...kielder-viaduct-61634-30020120/#ixzz1hpaHF7kI
 
#115 ·
Fresh row erupts over Northumberland
State of the Area debate

by David Black, The Journal, January 5th 2012


A DECISION to hold a public debate about key issues in Northumberland, after the county council’s latest budget is set, has been branded “ridiculous and pointless”.

Council leaders were accused yesterday of a “box-ticking” exercise over arrangements for the State of the Area debate, which has to be held annually under the authority’s own constitution.

Supporters of the debate – which is a public forum to discuss a range of issues affecting the county – say it is intended to help identify priorities and inform the council’s annual budget-setting process.

But it will be held at County Hall on February 22 – immediately after the meeting which will agree the authority’s 2012/13 budget. That will be preceded by three area committee meetings this month, where locals can flag up issues in advance of the budget setting and debate.

Yesterday self-employed contractor Kevin Little, of Haltwhistle, said: “According to the council’s constitution, the State of the Area debate is intended to be used by the leader to inform the budget process.

“Holding it after the budget has already been set is a cart and horse situation, ridiculous and pointless.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...the-area-debate-61634-30062339/#ixzz1iZdEypOu
 
#116 ·
Eco-museum sites to mark the Battle of Flodden
by Tony Henderson, The Journal, January 17th 2012


View of Flodden battlefield, near Branxton

THE first 12 Northumberland sites have been designated, in a landscape-scale eco-museum to mark next year’s 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden

The concept of an eco-museum is to highlight and join up locations with links to a particular theme.

The initial dozen sites all have connections with the 1513 battle in Northumberland in which King James IV of Scotland’s army suffered a catastrophic defeat by the English.

Each site has been provided with a Flodden eco-museum “brand” board and QR code to enable the downloading of information by smart phone.

Thousands of leaflets have also been printed for each location.

The idea of what will be England’s first eco-museum is to guide visitors from one site to another on a journey of discovery.


Read More (including a full list of sites) - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ttle-of-flodden-61634-30136376/#ixzz1jhoqk3Zr
 
#117 ·
£7m bid to get faster broadband in Northumberland
by Brian Daniel, The Journal, January 18th 2012


A BID to bring superfast broadband to Northumberland has been submitted to the government. Northumberland County Council has lodged a final bid with Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), the government body which administers funding for the service, which would likely see the county given £7m towards improving speeds for internet users.

The county council has also submitted a Local Broadband Plan, with that having been required by BDUK as part of its bid. The project is seen as vital to the future economic prospects of Northumberland.

In August last year, the government indicated it was willing to allocate £7m to Northumberland towards the costs of broadband improvements. The figure was conditional on the council contributing the same amount and agreeing to fund a long term improvement programme alongside a commercial partner.

The council has signalled its intention to meet these requirements and has set out an outline map for future improvements in its Local Broadband Plan. The plan calls for a ‘whole county’ approach in developing and supporting innovative solutions to overcome some of the specific barriers faced in the county.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-northumberland-61634-30144924/#ixzz1jnxGrToX
 
#118 ·
£1m-plus refurbishment plan for
Lord Crewe Arms in Blanchland

by Paul Tully, The Journal, January 27th 2012


AN AMBITIOUS £1m-plus refurbishment is set to bring a famous 12th-century hotel firmly into the 21st century. The Lord Crewe Arms in medieval Blanchland, on the Northumberland-Durham border, has faced an uncertain future since November, when the owners J & G Inns went into administration, but now the owners of The Lord Crewe have put together plans to transform the interior of the 1175-built inn.

The Trustees of Lord Crewe’s Charity say plans are in the early stages, but a shortlist of three “preferred bidders” for hotel operators has been drawn up.

The hotel will close this weekend at the start of up to a year of refurbishment work.

Michael Orde, spokesman for the Trustees, said: “The hotel has not had a lot of investment for quite a few decades, and it is looking a little run down. We want it to look like a hotel that you and your wife would want to stay in. We want to make it a pleasant experience."

“The hotel will close for a period of time from this weekend and work will be carried out over the next year."


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...s-in-blanchland-61634-30207564/#ixzz1keSref8d
 
#119 ·
Berwick upon Tweed considers
World Heritage status application

by Brian Daniel, The Journal, January 31st 2012


HADRIAN’S WALL has it, Durham Cathedral too and now a border town is bidding to join them in being awarded a prestigious global accolade.

Berwick is considering applying for World Heritage status, a rare bestowal given to places judged to be of special cultural or physical significance.

A seminar was recently held in the town at which the feasibility of bidding for the accolade was considered.

Berwick has a unique claim to fame in that it has changed hands between England and Scotland, usually following battles between the two nations, no fewer than 13 times, the last in 1482.

Debate continues to rage over whether England’s most northerly town should be in Scotland, with Berwick Rangers the only football team from south of the border to play in a league north of it.

There have been suggestions Berwick remains at war with Russia, having been regarded as an independent state when the Crimean War began but not being mentioned in the subsequent treaty.

It boasts an impressive barracks, Elizabethan town walls, the River Tweed and a number of bridges across it including a rail crossing designed by Robert Stephenson, a Cromwellian church, a revitalised granary, a guild hall and an array of listed buildings.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...tus-application-61634-30231030/#ixzz1l1XiVLt4
 
#120 ·
Widdrington wind farm plan seeks to kick-start
£200m Blue Sky Forest project

by David Black, The Journal, February 2nd 2012


A NEW wind farm scheme will aim to kick-start a £200m tourism and leisure project which its backers claim could create hundreds of jobs and bring a massive economic boost to Northumberland. Renewables company Peel Energy has submitted a planning application to build 13 turbines – each up to 126 metres high – near the village of Widdrington, north of Morpeth.

The 39 megawatt installation is seen as the catalyst for driving forward the ambitious Blue Sky Forest project, which involves developing 2,500 acres of land at the restored Stobswood, Maidens Hall and Steadsburn opencast mines. If approved, the 13 turbines will be the first infrastructure to be built on the site since the vision was first put forward by the local Widdrington Regeneration Partnership (WRP) almost a decade ago.

Blue Sky Forest – which is backed by opencast operator UK Coal and a number of other potential developers – has the potential to create 800 to 1,000 jobs, according to its supporters. It envisages an international-standard golf course and golf academy, a sports academy to nurture young talent, an Olympic-size swimming pool, an outdoor adventure centre, children’s activity centre and an artificial ski slope.

There would also be a holiday village, equine facilities, a 4x4 driving experience, a 300-bed hotel and conference centre, shops and restaurants and man-made lakes for sport and recreation.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-forest-project-61634-30248586/#ixzz1lDRTrb9b
 
#121 ·
Newcastle Historian; November 25th 2011 said:
Rock Hall School near Alnwick forced to close
by Sara Nichol, The Journal, November 25th 2011



A POPULAR school at the heart of a rural Northumberland community has announced it will close. Rock Hall School, near Alnwick, will close its doors in July next year after rising costs and falling pupil numbers made it impossible for teaching to continue.

Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...forced-to-close-61634-29839102/#ixzz1ei7zv0CF
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Rock Hall School celebrates being saved from closure
by Sara Nichol, The Journal, February 9th 2012

A POPULAR rural school has been saved from closure after a six-week survival campaign by parents. The Journal revealed last year that Rock Hall School, near Alnwick Northumberland, was being forced to shut down at the end of July due to rising costs, falling pupil numbers and red tape.

The closure meant 20 job losses and around 50 children being forced to find another school, but the announcement prompted worried parents to launch the Save Our School in Six Weeks campaign in a bid to save the last remaining independent school between Newcastle and Berwick.

Yesterday, co-headteacher at the school, Lalage Bosanquet, was delighted to announce the campaign had been a success. Mrs Bosanquet, who set up the school in a shed in her back garden in 1984, said: “Because of a great deal of very hard work by a lot of people, we have managed to save the school."


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ed-from-closure-61634-30295291/#ixzz1lsGXPj8y
 
#122 ·
Berwick Royal Border Bridge set for illumination
by Brian Daniel, The Journal, February 14th 2012


FULL ILLUMINATION of an iconic Northumberland bridge has moved a step closer with plans for the project now getting the green light. Northumberland County Council has approved an application which will allow the Grade I-listed Royal Border Bridge over the Tweed at Berwick to be completely lit up.

The Government has now been advised of the decision and is determining whether it needs to be ‘called in’ for consideration by the relevant secretary of state. If it is not, work will start once a contractor has been appointed, and Network Rail has given consent for access to the bridge.

Last night, one of the founders of the project was excited by the prospect of the landmark finally being fully lit. The 28-arch bridge, which carries East Coast trains over the River Tweed, was designed and built by famous North East-born civil engineer Robert Stephenson and is close to the centre of the Berwick Conservation Area.

The bridge was first opened in 1850 by Queen Victoria. In 2009, Berwick History Society and Cittaslow held events to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Stephenson’s death in 1859. The Stephenson 150 committee then decided to permanently illuminate the bridge as part of events to mark the 160th year of its opening in 2010


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...or-illumination-61634-30325849/#ixzz1mLW8SxzI
 
#123 · (Edited)
Concern in Allendale over hold-up on Dale Hotel plans
by Paul Tully, The Journal, February 15th 2012



PLANS to revive a run-down centrepiece building in the heart of a scenic Northumberland village have gone on hold in a row over affordable housing. The dilapidated Dale Hotel in Allendale Market Place was in line for conversion into a prestigious development of houses and flats, but now owner John Champ has pulled back while the quota of affordable housing in the proposed 10-residence development is thrashed out.

Northumberland County Council wants the scheme to include between 30% and 50% of affordable housing, but Mr Champ fears that amount will damage the profitability of his plans. His agents are now undertaking a viability study.

Agent John Widdaker said yesterday: “The application has been withdrawn at the moment. We want time to get more information in relation to the cost of the development, which is likely to be exceptionally high, against their requirements for affordable housing.

“The development has to show a profit for the developer of some sort. The developer would want to more than break even."


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/northu...r-hold-up-on-dale-hotel-plans-61634-30332259/

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#124 ·
1,356 affordable Northumberland
homes planned in new strategy

by David Black, The Journal, February 21st 2012


MORE than 1,350 affordable homes could be built in Northumberland over the next five years as part of a new strategy aimed at tackling a serious shortage of accommodation for local people and young families.

The planned programme involves a combination of building hundreds of new council houses, and providing support to housing associations to help deliver almost 1,000 more.

County Hall bosses plan to use their borrowing powers – and transfer council-owned land valued at up to £20m for housing development – in a bid to make significant progress on what has been identified as a key priority by local people.

The move comes at a time when there are 13,700 applicants on the county’s Homefinder social housing register – of which 7,500 have been assessed as having housing need.

The new strategy proposes building more than 450 council houses over the next five years, and council support to enable housing associations to provide about 900 more. It adds up to 1,356 new units, but this will not be a net increase as some of them will replace outdated existing stock, such as on the Hodgson’s Road estate in Blyth.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...in-new-strategy-61634-30371598/#ixzz1n0PcBo8Z
 
#126 ·
Rio Tinto Alcan announce date of closure
of Lynemouth aluminium smelter

The Journal, Business News, March 6th 2012


RIO Tinto Alcan has this morning announced the date of closure of its Lynemouth aluminium smelter in Northumberland. The plant will close on March 29 with 323 of the 515 staff to be made redundant in May.

The decision follows consultation with employee representatives.

Jacynthe Cotte, chief executive of Rio Tinto Alcan, said: I am saddened by the closure of Lynemouth Smelter but we have reached this decision only after a thorough strategic review of the plant and a fair and transparent consultation process.

"I have met with Lynemouth unions and staff members and I have great respect for the manner in which they have represented their colleagues during consultation. "We will now focus on safely decommissioning the plant, working with our employees to mitigate the impact of redundancy on them and their families and partnering with all interested stakeholders on the future regional economic development of the Lynemouth site.

"We are in close contact with our customers to limit the impact on their businesses under the scope of our contractual agreements."

Some operational activity in the smelters carbon and casting plants will continue this year. The companys ship unloading facility at the Port of Blyth will continue to operate for around 18 months and will be used to store and transport raw materials for the Lochaber Smelter in the Scottish Highlands until a more permanent solution is put in place.

A core team of around 60 employees will remain on site beyond the closure of all operations to work on decommissioning, remediation and regional economic development.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/busines...objectid=30470202&siteid=72703-name_page.html
 
#127 · (Edited)
Coastguards Lookout Tower on
Holy Island to be transformed

by Tony Henderson, The Journal, March 7th 2012



A TOWER built for Coastguards on an island off the coast of Northumberland is soon to be turned into a room with a spectacular view. Work has started to transform the structure on Holy Island into a viewing platform for visitors and locals. The former Coastguards Lookout Tower, sited on an outcrop of volcanic rock known as the Heugh, was built in the 1940s but has not been used for many years.

Now the Holy Island of Lindisfarne Community Development Trust is working with Natural England to give it a new lease of life. The project includes making the interior weatherproof and bringing it up to modern safety standards, with the ladder between the ground floor and the first-floor gallery being replaced by a staircase.

At the top of the tower, the dilapidated coastguard lookout room is to be turned into a glazed, 360-degree observatory. This will provide visitors with a panoramic view of Holy Island itself and sweeping views of the Farne Islands, the Cheviot Hills and the Berwickshire coast.

For the first time, it will also be possible for people to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the Lindisfarne National Nature Reserve.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-be-transformed-61634-30474736/#ixzz1oQLy9DD0

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#128 ·
Bellingham Heritage Centre - Cafe now
open in second train carriage

by Tony Henderson, The Journal, March 19th 2012


A 1950s railway carriage has provided the platform for 22-year-old Sarah Billany to launch her own rural business. The official opening took place at the weekend of two carriages at Bellingham Heritage Centre in Northumberland, which is based at the town’s former railway station.

The carriages, similar to those used on the Border Counties rail line which served Bellingham, were tracked down to Devon and brought 400 miles to Northumberland by road on a low loader. The volunteer-run centre has restored the carriages, with one being used for additional exhibition space.

The 66ft long carriages have been painted in Border Counties colours and stand at the platform at Bellingham Station for the first time since the line’s closure in 1958. The carriages venture has been backed by a Heritage Lottery Fund award of £173,600.

The exhibitions coach houses permanent displays about the Wannie railway line from Redesmouth to Morpeth and the branch line to Rothbury as well as a permanent exhibition on Brown Rigg School, a wooden boarding establishment built in 1938 on the outskirts of Bellingham which closed in the 1980s.

There are also classroom facilities in the coach for visiting schools and special interest groups, and an exhibition by Northumberland National Park to encourage visitors to explore the area. The Heritage Centre itself has a new lighting system which combines improved energy efficiency with better illumination of artefacts. The current temporary exhibition area in the centre is of pastel drawings by Elsdon artist Geoff Heslop entitled Local Working People. This will run until May 9.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-train-carriage-61634-30566999/#ixzz1pYAerKbP
 
#129 ·
Cambois biomass power station formal bid submitted
by David Black, The Journal, March 19th 2012


VILLAGERS are maintaining their opposition to plans for a £250m power station in Northumberland – as a green energy company seeks official consent to build the generating plant.

RES – which proposes the 100-megawatt biomass station at Battleship Wharf on the River Blyth – has now submitted a formal application to the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC). The move follows months of consultations with key stakeholders and local residents on the proposal, which the company claims will produce enough renewable energy to power about 170,000 homes, and cut carbon emissions by 300,000 tonnes a year.

If, as expected, the IPC accepts the application for a development consent order, there will then be a further period of public consultations, when organisations such as the county council, and local residents, can make their final views known.

Three months ago a public meeting in North Blyth heard the environmental watchdog group Biofuelwatch question the green credentials of the project, claiming large-scale biomass plants like the one proposed could worsen climate change problems and even accelerate global warming


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...l-bid-submitted-61634-30566916/#ixzz1pYLIXRbE
 
#130 ·
Lottery cash to boost North East village revival scheme
by Michael Brown, The Journal, April 3rd 2012


VILLAGES in Northumberland and County Durham are among those benefiting from a lottery fund supporting the start-up of rural businesses.

The BIG Lottery Fund’s Village SOS scheme aims to kick-start a rural revival, particularly in isolated areas that are suffering due to an aging population and the closure of local shops and services. Lynemouth Community Trust, in Northumberland, has received £30,000 for its scheme that aims to “up-cycle” unwanted rubbish into new items people will want to buy.

The BIG grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are available to help rural communities with less than 3,000 people develop plans for projects that answer a local need or improve services for local people.

Other recipients in the North East include . . .

Milfield Heavy Horse Association, in Northumberland, which has been offered £29,700 to hold an annual festival of working horses,

£25,000 for the Fontburn Internet Project in Ewesley, Northumberland, which is trying to bring broadband to the tiny hamlet.

£29,500 for the Middleton Plus Development Trust in Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, which will provide a range of family activities and courses for residents.

For more information about the BIG Lottery Fund’s Village SOS scheme, visit www.villagesos.org.uk


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-revival-scheme-61634-30679744/#ixzz1qy1LEYBW
 
#131 ·
Worries grow over 'sea' of turbines in the North East
by Tom Rowley, The Journal, April 9th 2012



ALMOST 200 more wind turbines could soon be put up across the North East, The Journal can reveal. Applicants want to put another 194 of the turbines in Northumberland, Gateshead and County Durham, according to local councils. About 109 of these applications come in addition to farms that have already won planning permission, our survey discloses. The figures come days after a motion to slow down the rate of wind farm approvals in Northumberland was rejected by councillors. But they backed an alternative motion to consult more widely about the future of the farms. The applications range from a site of 18 turbines with the capacity to produce 75 megawatts of energy to several single turbines on farms.

In Northumberland, 19 turbines are under construction, 59 have been approved subject to a raft of different conditions and a further 33 have received planning permission. Durham County Council is currently reviewing two applications for five turbines each at Sheraton Hill, east of Durham, and at Hamsterley Forest. Planners in Gateshead are considering a single application for a turbine at Eighton Banks. A further two schemes have asked the council if they will require an environmental impact assessment before planning approval is given.

Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland councils have received no applications.

Coun Glen Sanderson, who brought the Northumberland motion calling for a halt to applications, said he was surprised by the number of potential turbines uncovered by our survey. He said the new figures were “even more disturbing” for opponents of wind farms. “The people that I represent are firmly of the view that Northumberland has already had its fair share of applications,” he said.

A spokesman for Renewable UK, a group which represents firms behind wind farms, said: “Our planning system already factors in the impact of existing wind farms when assessing planning applications and so putting arbitrary limits on wind farms is wrong. “We should continue to assess each wind farm on a case by case basis. Wind farms represent an investment of millions of pounds, of which about a third is retained in the region in the form of jobs, contracts and supplies.”


Read More (Two Pages) - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-the-north-east-61634-30721880/#ixzz1rX4qPIwP
 
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