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

99K views 393 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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#159 ·
Two Northumberland visitor centres are axed
by Brian Daniel, The Journal, October 6th 2012


AWARD-WINNING visitor centres in two Northumberland communities are to close, after efforts to find new operators failed. The closure of the facilities at Rothbury and Ingram was yesterday announced by Northumberland National Park Authority, with effect from the end of the current tourist season.

Bed and breakfast owners in both communities last night greeted the news with a mixture of sadness and anger, with one accusing the authority of focusing on Hadrian’s Wall to the detriment of the North of the park, and of not working hard enough publicly to find a new operator.

The authority last night explained how its funding from the government had been cut by 33% over a four-year period from March 2011. As a result, bosses had to “reprioritise” its work areas and allocate finances accordingly, putting in place a budget reduction strategy which has included the loss of 25% of authority staff.

The authority decided to withdraw from the visitor centres as of next March but allowed two years to explore other ways of delivering the services they provide.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...entres-are-axed-61634-31977272/#ixzz28VH4x9N1
 
#160 ·
Politicians welcome £11.75m RGF boost for efforts to address Alcan closure in Northumberland
by David Black, The Journal, October 20th 2012


POLITICIANS have welcomed an £11.75m boost for efforts to tackle the devastating economic impact of the Alcan closure in Northumberland. They said the investment, secured from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, will significantly assist work to rescue the economy of the area following the shutdown of the Rio Tinto Alcan aluminium smelter at Lynemouth.

The phased shutdown of the plant – with the loss of 500 direct jobs and hundreds more in the supply chain – has been described as a “hammer blow” for south east Northumberland. Now the successful bid for £11.75m in RGF cash has been hailed as a vital contribution towards attracting new investment, business growth and jobs to the area.

It is claimed the funding could result in the creation of more than 600 jobs in an area where it was recently claimed that 26 people are chasing every vacancy. The money will be used to deliver the South East Northumberland Business Growth Programme, which was developed in response to the closure of the smelter. The bid was drawn up by local development company Arch Group in partnership with Northumberland County Council, and was supported by Rio Tinto Alcan and the county’s MPs.

The £11.75m sum, complements Rio Tinto’s own regional economic development programme, which aims to secure replacement jobs on the Lynemouth site.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...-northumberland-61634-32068847/#ixzz29pSwle3l
 
#161 ·
This nutty scheme keeps coming back from the dead every couple of years or so...

Northumberland £50m resort 'could bring 700 jobs'

The resort would include snow slopes, gorges and canyons
A planning application is to be submitted for a £50m resort in Northumberland that could create 700 jobs in the area.

The 800-acre adventure park planned in Widdrington would include a 50-acre lake, restaurants and the UK's biggest tree house adventure playground.

An application for the initial phase is being submitted to the council with a full application due in 2013.

If approved, the Active Lifestyle Resort could open in summer 2015.

Accommodation would include 100 camping pods and 400 holiday homes.

Outdoor attractions planned include snow slopes, gorges and canyons, equestrian, fishing, skiing, water sports, 4x4 off-road track, while indoor facilities will include climbing walls, a fitness centre, water park and spa.
More... BBC... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-20323212

If the ski part happens ..... I d like to invite you all to my combined enthronement as Pope and appointment as Chief Rabbi... trebles all round.

Impossible to make it fly in its current format, though the sound of white coats flapping is slightly less than when an indoor ski slope was planned..

I quote a colleague of mine who knows the project:

He is having 3m tonnes of 'inert' waste tipped on the site to build the hill. So that'll be 3m .\. 30 tonnes (trucks) at approximately £15 per ton. So £15 x 3m = £45m.

Now having made all that money, why would you want to go and waste it on a holiday park that no-one is going to go to?
 
#162 ·
Northumberland £50m resort 'could bring 700 jobs'



A planning application is to be submitted for a £50m resort in Northumberland that could create 700 jobs in the area.

The 800-acre adventure park planned in Widdrington would include a 50-acre lake, restaurants and the UK's biggest tree house adventure playground.

An application for the initial phase is being submitted to the council with a full application due in 2013.

If approved, the Active Lifestyle Resort could open in summer 2015.

Accommodation would include 100 camping pods and 400 holiday homes.

Outdoor attractions planned include snow slopes, gorges and canyons, equestrian, fishing, skiing, water sports, 4x4 off-road track, while indoor facilities will include climbing walls, a fitness centre, water park and spa.

More at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-20323212
 
#164 ·
I honestly think it's a good idea, possibly the wrong location in Northumberland though.

The town of Widdrington is poor, it is only really served by one shop, one chip shop, a railway line that has 1 train to Newcastle/Morpeth in each direction a day, and the bus service is pretty much non existent. The nearest town would probably be Amble which is a good 15 minutes drive away by car.

Even though it is primarily a caravan/holiday site the facilities it has would need to be accessible to the public as well to be worth while and it just isn't unless you have a car and even then it is out of the way. If it is to be in Northumberland then a surely a location nearer to Morpeth would be more suitable, if it doesn't have to be in Northumberland then how about the dunes just outside of Earsden on the North Tyneside/Northumberland border?
 
#165 ·
Centre Parcs seem to do okay, but their setups are a bit bigger-budget than this.
There are some differences... the cost of the ski side will be pretty astronomical [note the full conceptual] and, unlike a pool and a waterpark you start from a lower base of customers - in other words it's highly likely that most Centre Parcs customers will be able to swim. In that location the return on investment on the snowsports facility won't be high enough

To date no one has made the 'centre parcs' version of an artificial snowsports area stack up enough to start cutting turf, and lots have tried. The most famous [with a few mentions in 'The Eye'] is Snoasis, albeit a slightly different beast because of the indoor slope. The closest to making this concept work is Center Parcs De Kempervennen which is next to the Montana indoor ski centre. They share ownership, but crucially the ski facility is not part of the park, the usage is priced separately and it really relies on 'skiers' not the park for bums on seats [or skis].

Centre Parcs venues [arguably save for Whinfell Forest] also have a decent population in a driving circle around them, and no disrespect to Northumberland, this is landfill, at the edge of a pit village 'up north'.

There are several reasons I can't see this happening - not as proposed anyway, some of those are from what you might call 'inside knowledge' but others are based on the same reasons that I flagged that the proposed Sunderland and Gateshead indoor centres would never happen, cost and population.

It may run with the non snowsports aspects, or with a radically reduced snowsport facility [ie a 'nursery' area]. But as presented... nah.

Oh not even the conceptual drawings are actually for this site... they're from a proposal to build something similar in Cornwall. Check the area in the square highlighted and compare to the BBC story..



I honestly think it's a good idea, possibly the wrong location in Northumberland though.

The town of Widdrington is poor, it is only really served by one shop, one chip shop, a railway line that has 1 train to Newcastle/Morpeth in each direction a day, and the bus service is pretty much non existent. The nearest town would probably be Amble which is a good 15 minutes drive away by car.

Even though it is primarily a caravan/holiday site the facilities it has would need to be accessible to the public as well to be worth while and it just isn't unless you have a car and even then it is out of the way. If it is to be in Northumberland then a surely a location nearer to Morpeth would be more suitable, if it doesn't have to be in Northumberland then how about the dunes just outside of Earsden on the North Tyneside/Northumberland border?
It might have more chance in the central belt of Scotland or possibly North Yorks/perhaps sth of Boro between the A19 and A1... however [and here I am only looking at the ski side] both areas are already well served with snowsports areas, or rather this would have to be so big and spectacular to draw significant numbers of skiers from the indoor facilities that it couldn't make money. With size there is also an inbuilt problem - up to about 120-150m the user no's [sliders, not snowplay] and costs increase directly in proportion to length. In simple terms a 60m slope will get about half the visitors of a 120m one. Go much above 120-150 [though it depends a bit on width etc] and the user numbers graph still rises but much less steeply. However the other graph showing the costs of building and running the facility steepens markedly.

I hope it flies, but if it does it will bear as much resemblance to what's being floated as I do to Anne Widdicombe.
 
#166 ·
Further to ^^

Widdrington adventure holiday park
could bring 700 new jobs

by Kerry Wood, The Journal, November 15th 2012


The site near Widdrington of the proposed Blue Sky Forest adventure holiday park. Insest, artist's impression of the ski slope

PLANS for a £50m adventure holiday park that would bring 700 jobs to an employment blackspot in the North East have been unveiled. The proposals for a holiday complex at a former opencast site near Widdrington, Northumberland, come at a time when the nearby Alcan site – which was the county’s largest private sector employer – is closing down and there are more than 50 unemployed people for every job.

The resort would boast a four-star luxury holiday village, 100 camping pods, water park and spa, the UK’s largest tree house adventure playground, a fitness centre, 50-acre lake and 400 eco-lodge holiday homes. Developers also want to create snow slopes, gorges and canyons, mountain bike trails and off-road vehicle courses alongside outdoor activities including fishing, horse riding and water sports. The proposals would mark the fruition of the ambitious Blue Sky Forest project launched by local people more than a decade ago to regenerate the area.

Plans for the initial phase will be submitted to Northumberland County Council in the next few weeks with the full planning application to follow next year. Launching the scheme yesterday, Chris Davies, chief executive of developers Active Leisure Resorts, said: “This is a unique concept, there is nothing like it in Europe. When it is a success I hope to replicate it across the UK and take it to Europe. Active Leisure Resorts represents a real and viable opportunity to play a major role in the regeneration of rural Northumberland. This scheme will not only totally revitalise the site but also the minds of the community for which it serves."


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ng-700-new-jobs-61634-32238029/#ixzz2CHVp6DOO
 
#168 ·
Further to ^^

Widdrington adventure holiday park
could bring 700 new jobs

by Kerry Wood, The Journal, November 15th 2012


The site near Widdrington of the proposed Blue Sky Forest adventure holiday park. Insest, artist's impression of the ski slope

PLANS for a £50m adventure holiday park that would bring 700 jobs to an employment blackspot in the North East have been unveiled. The proposals for a holiday complex at a former opencast site near Widdrington, Northumberland, come at a time when the nearby Alcan site – which was the county’s largest private sector employer – is closing down and there are more than 50 unemployed people for every job.

The resort would boast a four-star luxury holiday village, 100 camping pods, water park and spa, the UK’s largest tree house adventure playground, a fitness centre, 50-acre lake and 400 eco-lodge holiday homes. Developers also want to create snow slopes, gorges and canyons, mountain bike trails and off-road vehicle courses alongside outdoor activities including fishing, horse riding and water sports. The proposals would mark the fruition of the ambitious Blue Sky Forest project launched by local people more than a decade ago to regenerate the area.

Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ng-700-new-jobs-61634-32238029/#ixzz2CHVp6DOO
Yep that artists illustration is strangely familiar :). BTW the Journal is wrong on the quote that 'Developers also want to create snow slopes'. They did in earlier iterations, but this proposal is for an outdoor facility using PBT 'matting'. It is in theory possible to make snow outdoors cryogenically at almost any temperature... but the energy cost is absolutely eye poppping.

Maybe the plan is that the skiing element marks it apart from the likes of Centre Parcs, also if it is lower budget and priced accordingly it may attract a larger number of people as Centre Parcs can be pricey, especially in the school holidays.

I see they are proposing snow slopes, i remember when I was young skiing on a test slope at the Sheffield ski village where the university were developing a kind of snow substitute that did not melt outdoors in he summer for skiing and boarding, I wonder if they are looking at using something like this as I doubt they are relying on the 4 days of snow we get every year
They have been at this for 10 years, the initial plan was for real [refrigerated] indoor snow, but with a cost of c£60mil for the slopes alone that is positively sectionable..

The surface they are considering now is a PBT brush type surface called pro slope. It offers some advantages over the metal matrix brush surfaces you probably skied on at Sheffield [now sadly no more].

I know a good deal about the economics of these places and it's simply not possible to make money from a facility of the size in the rendering [that's also one of the reasons that it didn t work in Cornwall, in an area with extensive tourism and better infrastructure]. Let's set to one side the other parts of the project which include...

The resort would boast a four-star luxury holiday village, 100 camping pods, water park and spa, the UK’s largest tree house adventure playground, a fitness centre, 50-acre lake and 400 eco-lodge holiday homes.

Developers also want to create snow slopes, gorges and canyons, mountain bike trails and off-road vehicle courses alongside outdoor activities including fishing, horse riding and water sports.
Actually no, just looked at the maths on the pillows; 400 eco lodge homes, plus a 4 star hotel. We'll ignore the camping pods and make an unrealistic assumption of a 50 room hotel = 100 pillows, plus the eco lodges being twins which most won't, be, they ll be 4's. However that gives 36500 possible 'stays' in the hotel and 292 000 in the lodges. That s a total of 328 500 stays. Now the Journal states:

It is estimated the “active lifestyle resort” could draw in up to 300,000 day visits and 350,000 paid nights a year once it opens
Well even forgetting the camping and under estimating the beds on the hotel and lodges we are getting very close to 100% occupancy... which is flying pig territory.

Now a four star hotel new build....Whitbread [premier inn] work on £34-45k per room build cost for an Inn and £65-125 for mid market - both excluding land. Let's assume zero cost for the land...

50 x £40k = 2 mil, 50 x £80k = 4 mil.... then we have 400 eco lodges, let's take a stab at £30k each... that gives us £12 mil.. budget for the fitness centre and spa, the tree house and adventure playground, the building of gorges and canyons and we're in the low to mid £20 mils without even breathing hard...

It may be that the hotel is bigger than my 50 beds in which case the % occupancy on 350k stays falls but the cost of building the thing [and they do refer to a four star luxury village] goes even closer to the ionosphere..

Oh and the ski slope - there are a few variables from the rendering, but £7-10m for something of that scale is ball park - it's not just the slope, it's lifts, heavy duty pumps and a mist lubrications system, equipment etc.

I see [professionally] at least a couple of proposals of this type a month from all over the country. The only thing that makes this slightly different is the use of PBT matting as opposed to indoor snow. That reduces the cost of the 'skiing' aspects of the project, but in this case it's offset by scale and to a degree I'd suggest location.

Absolutely not possible on the scale put forwards - well not unless someone else is paying and you just have to worry about operating costs.
 
#167 ·
This nutty scheme keeps coming back from the dead every couple of years or so...



More... BBC... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-20323212

If the ski part happens ..... I d like to invite you all to my combined enthronement as Pope and appointment as Chief Rabbi... trebles all round.

Impossible to make it fly in its current format, though the sound of white coats flapping is slightly less than when an indoor ski slope was planned..

I quote a colleague of mine who knows the project:
Maybe the plan is that the skiing element marks it apart from the likes of Centre Parcs, also if it is lower budget and priced accordingly it may attract a larger number of people as Centre Parcs can be pricey, especially in the school holidays.

I see they are proposing snow slopes, i remember when I was young skiing on a test slope at the Sheffield ski village where the university were developing a kind of snow substitute that did not melt outdoors in he summer for skiing and boarding, I wonder if they are looking at using something like this as I doubt they are relying on the 4 days of snow we get every year
 
#169 ·
^^

Rather "optimistically" I have set up a separate new Project thread for this proposed major £50M project.

So, could future posts about this be made on the below linked Project Thread please . . .

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1563778

I have also added a link to the above thread to the Communal Area Development Summary (See 'sticky' thread at top of Communal Area Forum) as Project 03.
 
#170 ·
Amble regeneration plans unveiled to revitalise coastal port
by David Black, The Journal, November 5th 2012


Amble Harbour in Northumberland

AMBITIOUS IDEAS aimed at boosting the economic fortunes of a seaside town have been unveiled in a new report drawn up by a partnership of local organisations. The blueprint sets out regeneration plans, which seek to develop the port of Amble in Northumberland as a thriving coastal community over the next decade – by creating jobs and businesses, and identifying opportunities for tourism, marine and leisure projects.

Innovative ideas are flagged up in the Amble 2020 project report for revitalising the town’s harbour, waterfront and pier. These include developing an aqua-cultural growth sector – possibly involving the local rearing of mussels and oysters – building on historic links with the fishing industry by creating a seafood centre with its own small retail units, encouraging new fish restaurants, and planning an inaugural Puffin Festival next year.

The report says a landmark visitor attraction could be developed, such as a seabird or sea life centre linked to the nearby Coquet Island wildlife sanctuary, which is home to 90% of the UK population of protected Roseate Terns. It says more needs to be done to exploit Amble’s tourism potential as a specialist water sports centre and marina, attracting fishing, yachting, sailing, kayaking or kite surfing enthusiasts.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/northu...se-coastal-port-61634-32168971/#ixzz2DzHfEJcj
 
#171 ·
Rothbury bridge re-opens after three year refurbishment
by Brian Daniel, The Journal, December 5th 2012


Rothbury Bridge in Rothbury, Northumberland

A HISTORIC bridge at the heart of a Northumberland village is to re-open after a three-year refurbishment. The road bridge over the River Coquet at Rothbury will be opened by the Duchess of Northumberland next week following its £3.7m overhaul. The bridge has been bedecked with features last seen more than 100 years ago after 20th Century alterations were ruled inappropriate by villagers.

The bridge was built in 1460, making it one of Northumberland’s most historic structures. Northumberland County Council consulted local residents over carrying out extensive strengthening work to the structure and villagers informed the authority they did not want to see any alterations of a 21st Century nature.

The council’s design team came up with features last seen more than 100 years ago, such as parapets and refuges. These were given consent by English Heritage, which had initially voiced concerns. The work also had to tie in with several constraints as the structure is a scheduled ancient monument and spans a river which is a designated site of special scientific interest, with protected species of bats and birds.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...r-refurbishment-61634-32363549/#ixzz2EDQaR3bk
 
#172 ·
Alcan Power Station in Northumberland bought by RWE
The Journal, December 19th 2012


The Alcan plant in Northumberland

RIO TINTO ALCAN today concluded the sale of its power station at Lynemouth in Northumberland to German energy giant RWE. RWE confirmed it has acquired the 420-megawatt, coal-fired plant following months of negotiations. It is hoped the deal will safeguard the jobs of 120 workers at the power station, which has supplied electricity to the nearby RTA aluminium smelter since it opened in 1972.

Since the closure of the 515-job smelter earlier this year, the plant has been providing power solely to the national grid. RWE said today it will make a decision early in 2013 on whether to convert the coal-fired station to biomass.


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/busines...-northumberland-bought-by-rwe-72703-32462930/
 
#173 ·
Northumberland in quest for Dark Sky Status
by Paul Tully, The Journal, January 8th 2013


RURAL dwellers in a remote part of Northumberland are being urged to turn down their lights to turn up the power behind a bid for special recognition. The county’s quest for official Dark Sky Status will go before the International Dark Skies Association in Arizona, USA, early this year.

Now, the latest boost for the campaign, which would bring major extra business and prestige, has come in the shape of support from the world-famous Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at Manchester University.

If the bid this year is successful, 400 square miles of north Northumberland would become Europe’s largest dark sky reserve – and the third-largest in the world. Kielder Water & Forest Park would become England’s first Dark Sky Park, and Northumberland National Park would be designated Europe’s largest Dark Sky Reserve.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...dark-sky-status-61634-32561032/#ixzz2HNVDU8iv
 
#174 ·
Alnmouth Methodist Church will become a luxury home
The Journal, January 9th 2013


A FORMER CHURCH in a pretty Northumberland seaside village has been put up for sale with planning permission to make it into a luxury family home. Alnmouth Methodist Church in Northumberland closed last year when dwindling congregations led to it being merged with another methodist chapel in the village. The church, which dates back to the late 19th Century, is to be converted into a four-bedroom home. Made up of a single-storey chapel with chancel, plus a former school room and vestry, the church is now on the market for offers over £200,000, though buyers would also have to fund conversion work. It was until last year a working church, but there was another methodist church in the village, so it was surplus to requirements.

Local Estrate Agents said, “It’s got some really nice features, with a high roof space that will accommodate mezzanine floors and big staircases. There’s permission for four bedrooms, a big open plan dining and kitchen area and there’s quite a bit of space to the front for car parking plus gardens to the front and back. As in so many cases like this, there is a dwindling congregation and big up-keep costs, and where there are two churches with the same denomination, it makes sense to come together."

The former church will be the latest of many in the North East to be converted into a home. Last year, the former church at nearby Felton was sold off and converted while methodist churches in Newcastle at Gosforth, and in Northumberland at Allenheads, have also been closed and sold off. Other disused churches in the region have been turned into offices, restaurants and shops in recent years.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...nto-luxury-home-61634-32569959/#ixzz2HTYMRn14
 
#175 ·
The new name for the former Rio Tinto smelter site
is Northumberland Coastal Enterprise Centre.

by Iain Laing, The Journal, February 27th 2013


Rio Tinto smelter in Lynemouth

THE SITE of the former Rio Tinto smelter in Lynemouth is to be renamed "Northumberland Coastal Enterprise Centre" as part of a major marketing plan to attract investors. The 250-acre site operated since 1972 as the Alcan smelter but closed in 2012 with the loss of more than 500 jobs.

Rio Tinto has since deployed a programme of Regional Economic Development (RED) to attract investors and create jobs, but it has a long way to go to take the place of Alcan as an economic driver. The site already has its first tenant with the arrival of Aartoft Limited in late 2012. The company operates in the construction sector and hopes to employ up to 40 people after taking up residence in 18,000 sq ft of space, previously the smelter’s garage.

John McCabe, regional economic development director, Rio Tinto, said: “The new name says something about our location and will hopefully resonate with potential investors.”


Read More - http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/commerc...former-rio-tinto-smelter-site-51140-32887334/
 
#176 ·
Ferneybeds Opencast Coal Mine at
Widdrington Station gets approval.

by David Black, The Journal, April 4th 2013


Brenda Fordy-Scott, who chairs Widdrington Station residents' association, with Sam Thistlethwaite of Banks Mining

A NEW COAL MINE near a cluster of villages which have lived with the opencast industry for seven decades has been given the unanimous backing of planners. Banks Mining was praised yesterday for the way it has secured local support for its scheme to dig 725,000 tonnes of coal and 200,000 tonnes of fireclay from the 240-acre Ferneybeds site near Widdrington Station, Northumberland.

The company has involved the local community in a series of planning and design workshops, which resulted in the life of the mine being reduced from five to three years and changes made to coal lorry routes, screening measures and access and compound proposals. It has also pledged a £75,000 fund for local community projects and a restoration plan to include a nature and wildlife corridor.

Members of the county council planning committee unanimously approved the Banks application, which generated just six letters of objection. It is a far cry from the days when new opencast mining proposals in the Widdrington and Stobswood area – and elsewhere in south east Northumberland – sparked major opposition from local residents.


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...n-gets-approval-61634-33115448/#ixzz2PUaPTkwd
 
#177 ·
Amble Lifeboat station to receive advanced new £2m vessel

This from Northumberland Gazette 27/04/13

Published on 27/04/2013 12:00

Extract

A Northumberland seaside town’s lifeboat station has been earmarked to receive the RNLI’s latest and most advanced class of lifeboat.

The charity plans to replace Amble’s Mersey class lifeboat, The Four Boys – which is reaching the end of its planned 25-year life span – in 2017, with a Shannon class vessel.

The new lifeboat will cost £2million and the RNLI is currently working to identify whether the funding for the new vessel can be raised from legacy gifts or whether fund-raising activity is needed.

The Shannon is the first modern RNLI all-weather lifeboat to operate with water jets, not propellers.



Shannon class lifeboat. credit RNLI Nathan Williams

Full story on http://www.northumberlandgazette.co...n-to-receive-advanced-new-2m-vessel-1-5613855


2017, Long term planning ?

KEN
 
#179 ·
Alcan smelter land and assets put up for sale
by Brian Daniel, The Journal, June 5th 2013


LAND and assets at a closed Northumberland smelter have been put up for sale for £20m. Farms, residential properties, development opportunities, an operational 13 turbine wind farm and strategic mineral assets at the site of the former Alcan Lynemouth smelter are being offered just over a year after it shut.

Bosses at Alcan said they hoped a deal could be agreed which would see the property portfolio transferred to “a responsible purchaser with long-term plans that will benefit the communities of Northumberland”. The Alcan Farms portfolio is being offered for sale by agents YoungsRPS. In all, the total landholding is 1,785.34 hectares – 4,411.57 acres. Offers in the region of £20m are being sought.

The land has been managed as part of the Alcan Farms business since 1973. It was originally purchased by the company to support operations at the smelter


Read More - http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...put-up-for-sale-61634-33428987/#ixzz2VKS7q0dB
 
#180 ·
Thropton farm wind turbine go ahead advised

From today's Journal Live, copyright NCJMedia Ltd @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/thropton-farm-wind-turbine-go-5377700

Thropton farm wind turbine go ahead advised

By Brian Daniel - 29th July 2013



Controversial plans for a wind turbine in the Northumberland countryside are being recommended for approval, despite more than 100 objections.

Northumberland County Council planning officers are advising members to give the go-ahead for the 78-metre structure on a farm at Thropton, near Rothbury, in the face of opposition from residents, parish councils, bosses at nearby Northumberland National Park and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

The turbine proposal is for an engine 50 metre to hub height, 78 metres to tip, on land associated with Follions Farm, Weststeads.

It has yielded objections in 107 letters from residents and four parish councils – Harbottle; Glanton; Whittingham, Callaly and Alnham; and Netherton with Biddlestone. Northumberland National Park Authority and the CPRE have also lodged opposition. A Facebook page and website have also been set up by residents under the banner Fight Follions Wind Farm.

Objections are based on impact on the character of the local and wider landscape, on the visual amenity of the area, and on the local economy including tourism.

Yet county council officers are recommending the scheme be approved at a meeting of the authority’s planning and environment and public rights of way committee on August 6.

Officers conclude: “The proposed wind turbine would contribute to the provision of a sustainable source of locally produced renewable energy that is consistent with national and local planning policies.

Read more @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/thropton-farm-wind-turbine-go-5377700
 
#181 ·
Cheers as Thropton wind turbine bid is kicked out

From today's Journal Live, copyright NCJMedia Ltd @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/thropton-farm-wind-turbine-go-5377700

Thropton farm wind turbine go ahead advised

By Brian Daniel - 29th July 2013



Controversial plans for a wind turbine in the Northumberland countryside are being recommended for approval, despite more than 100 objections.

Northumberland County Council planning officers are advising members to give the go-ahead for the 78-metre structure on a farm at Thropton, near Rothbury, in the face of opposition from residents, parish councils, bosses at nearby Northumberland National Park and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

The turbine proposal is for an engine 50 metre to hub height, 78 metres to tip, on land associated with Follions Farm, Weststeads.

It has yielded objections in 107 letters from residents and four parish councils – Harbottle; Glanton; Whittingham, Callaly and Alnham; and Netherton with Biddlestone. Northumberland National Park Authority and the CPRE have also lodged opposition. A Facebook page and website have also been set up by residents under the banner Fight Follions Wind Farm.

Objections are based on impact on the character of the local and wider landscape, on the visual amenity of the area, and on the local economy including tourism.

Yet county council officers are recommending the scheme be approved at a meeting of the authority’s planning and environment and public rights of way committee on August 6.

Officers conclude: “The proposed wind turbine would contribute to the provision of a sustainable source of locally produced renewable energy that is consistent with national and local planning policies.

Read more @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/thropton-farm-wind-turbine-go-5377700
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Cheers as Thropton wind turbine bid is kicked out

By David Black - 8th August 2013



A bid to site a wind turbine in the Northumberland countryside has been kicked out amid more than 100 objections.

The proposal at Thropton faced opposition from residents, parish councils, bosses at nearby Northumberland National Park and the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Northumberland County Council officers nevertheless recommended it be approved. However, councillors voted unanimously to reject it.

The decision was last night described as a “victory for common sense”.

The proposal from York-based Ogden Renewable Energy was for an engine 50 metre to hub height, 78 metres to tip, on land associated with Follions Farm, Weststeads.

It yielded objections in 107 letters from residents and four parish councils – Harbottle; Glanton; Whittingham, Callaly and Alnham; and Netherton with Biddlestone.

Northumberland National Park Authority and the CPRE also lodged opposition.

A Facebook page and website were also set up by concerned residents under the banner Fight Follions Wind Farm.

Objections were based on impact on the character of the local and wider landscape, on the visual amenity of the area, and on the effect the turbines would have on the local economy, including tourism.

Yet county council planning officers recommended the scheme be approved, saying the potential impacts on the landscape and visual amenity were not “considered to be of such significance to outweigh the wider benefits of the proposed wind turbine in terms of renewable energy provision”.

At a meeting of the authority’s planning and environment and public rights of way committee, members voted unanimously against that advice, citing impact on the landscape. Residents, who had packed the council chamber, burst into applause after the decision was taken.

Read more @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/cheers-thropton-wind-turbine-bid-5678611
 
#182 ·
Do we really want giant a wind farm in Kielder Forest?

From today's Journal Live, copyright NCJMedia Ltd @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/kielder-forest-could-more-100-5684317

Do we really want giant a wind farm in Kielder Forest?

By David Black - 9th August 2013



A massive wind farm of up to 100 giant turbines could be built in Northumberland’s Kielder Forest under new proposals being explored by a leading green energy company.

RWE npower renewables is seeking permission to put up four test masts to assess wind conditions in the commercial Redesdale and Comb areas of Kielder.

The investigations could lead to proposals for a wind farm of between 50 and 100 turbines, including machines up to 170 metres tall, it is claimed.

If such a scheme was ultimately given the green light, it would be one of the biggest in the UK, and deliver long-held ambitions for a major, strategic wind farm in the Kielder area.

RWE has been appointed by the Forestry Commission, which manages Kielder Forest, to explore the potential for a wind farm there.

An application has been submitted to Northumberland County Council for permission to site the four 90m-high meteorological masts for up to three years, in an arc running from the Catcleugh Reservoir to Comb.

Any future bid to build such a large wind farm would be dealt with by the Planning Inspectorate’s national infrastructure planning unit, with the county council and Northumberland National Park Authority acting as key consultees.

Five years ago, the Regional Spatial Strategy – which committed the North East to meeting a target of 20% of its energy coming from renewable sources by 2020 – highlighted wind farm development at Kielder Forest as an essential component. Last night, county councillor John Riddle, who chairs the Northumberland National Park Authority and whose ward includes Kielder, said he was briefed about RWE’s plans this week.

Read more @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/kielder-forest-could-more-100-5684317
 
#183 ·
Offshore photos call Northumberland wind farms into question

Courtesy of the Journal Live, copyright NCJMedia Ltd @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-wind-farms-called-question-5730614

Offshore photos call Northumberland wind farms into question

By Brian Daniel - 15th August 2013


Dunstanburgh Castle from the sea

Photographs taken from off the coast of Northumberland have opened a new strand in the debate on the place of wind farms in the rural county.

The pictures were taken by Bill Short and two fellow members of the Northumberland and Newcastle Society, a body which works to protect valuable buildings and landscapes and to enhance the quality of life in both urban and rural areas.

With the aim of showing how clusters of turbines up to 125m high are now dominating views of the county, Mr Short and his friends took to a 29ft yacht on Sunday and sailed from Blyth harbour up the coastline to Dunstanburgh and back again.

Mr Short had seen the giant structures going up around Northumberland at close quarters but had heard from his colleagues that the effect was even more startling from the North Sea. He wanted to see how the turbines appeared within the coastal landscape, in particular in relation to the county’s renowned castles, and how they would change that first glimpse of the region caught by newcomers arriving by water or plane.

Mr Short, who lives at Kirkwhelpington, said: “It is quite an important route, the number of boats that go up and down the coast is quite high. It is something that must be at least as important as footpaths.

“We really were quite shocked at how dramatic those photos were.” Based on these images, even the staunchest advocate of wind would struggle to argue that the turbines are not now the dominant feature in these coastal views.

There are those who believe turbines are graceful elegant structures, and who may view their visual dominance of Northumberland’s coastline as welcome.

Read more @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-wind-farms-called-question-5730614
 
#184 · (Edited)
Northumberland wind farm campaigners press for findings

Courtesy of the Journal Live, copyright NCJMedia Ltd @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-wind-farm-urge-government-5759067

Northumberland wind farm campaigners press for findings

By Adrian Pearson - 21st August 2013

Last night the Government was urged to publish findings on the impact wind turbines have on the rural economy in Northumberland
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Dunstanburgh Castle from the sea Dunstanburgh Castle from the sea

Wind campaigners have urged the Government to finalise and publish a report into the impact giant turbines have on the rural economy.

Groups seeking to preserve Northumberland’s unique visual appeal have warned of a possible detrimental impact on visitor numbers, and say it is vital the Government sets out its evidence.

Their calls come as it emerges two senior Government ministers are locked in a dispute over the key report. Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Ed Davey is said to have raised concerns with Conservative Environment Secretary Owen Paterson over Defra’s plans to assess the economic impact of wind farms. Speculation is mounting that Mr Davey has attempted to delay publication of the report carried out by the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs over fears it could expose shortcomings in his department’s renewable energy strategy.

It is claimed that figures in the energy department are concerned that the report, which has not been completed, could include negative conclusions about how renewable energy affects the rural economy.

At its strongest, it is suggested the report “could provide official confirmation that the controversial turbines can harm rural areas”.

Last night the Government was urged to publish the findings as soon as possible to help provide a strong evidence base for those objecting to wind turbines in areas such as Northumberland.

Bill Short, from the Northumberland and Newcastle Society’s environmental committee, said that with developers able to bring in their own research at the planning decision stage, it was vital residents had whatever support was available.

Read more @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-wind-farm-urge-government-5759067
 
#185 ·
Northumberland test mast ruling overturned

Courtesy of today's Journal Live, copyright NCJMedia Ltd @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-test-mast-ruling-overturned-5789025

Northumberland test mast ruling overturned

By Journal - 27th August 2013


Residents of Fenrother who are opposed to wind turbines being put up near their village

A test mast which could pave the way for yet another wind farm development in the Northumberland countryside has been given the green light.

The planning inspector’s ruling has overturned a decision by county councillors to refuse permission for the 50m meteorological mast at Charity Hall near Sharperton, in the Upper Coquet Valley.

It comes as wind farm developments continue to cause controversy at locations across Northumberland – with a public inquiry into one scheme starting this week and councillors set to hold a site visit on another.

Last December council planning committee members rejected the proposed test mast at Sharperton – against the advice of their officers – after application was opposed by three local parish councils, the Northumberland National Park Authority and six residents. The site is about 3km from the eastern boundary of the national park and just over 2km east of the hamlet of Sharperton.

Objectors claimed a wind farm there would have devastating effects on the tranquil rural valley and the national park, and concerns were also raised about a potential risk to low-flying aircraft and visual intrusion in an area of high landscape value.

Empirica Investments lodged an appeal against the decision, which has now been overturned by a planning inspector.

The inspector ruled that the temporary mast would not have a detrimental impact on the distinctive landscape character of the area and would not conflict with planning policies.

Read more @ http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-test-mast-ruling-overturned-5789025
 
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