Today I spent 4 hours walking the countryside that makes up the Green Belt around Ponteland, studying what you can only see on foot. The stormy weather that had hit us so hard during the day abated to produce a sunlit windswept autumnal day; hikers, dog walkers, parents with kids and cyclists shrugged at each other as if to say - this is what we like when autumn comes. Aside from the green lungs that is the wonder of Ponteland Park it was a delight to wander the footpaths and bridleways that surround this community. I met many locals: like the Ponteland man, who works as a headteacher in a school in Newcastle. We walked the footpath back into town between the High School and the proposed site of the Banks developement. He described to me how when he returns from work in Newcastle every day the sight of the green fields on the outskits of his home town fills him with comfort and a sense of peace. It is this desire to prevent an urban sprawl, and an acknowledgement of the need to protect the green spaces around our town, that motivates the local campaigners who oppose the Banks and Lugano developments. In barely a month we will know our fate when Northumberland County Council produces its local developmeent plan, which includes the review of the green belt around Ponteland. It is our fervent wish that this green belt is protected. This is not to say that we, or I, am against development of appropriate housing. I have backed wholeheartedly the housing plans at the old Ponteland Pollice Headquarters site, which will provide hundreds of homes, and again campaigned for the several hundred more homes being built to a very high standard by Bellway, as we speak, at the Stannington Hospital site. This will more than adequately accomodate local needs. Every councillor, member of parliamnent and community activist knows that you only discover a place by walking the ground. By seeing things that are not there when we whizz by in a car. I discovered a lot today. Taking in the delights of the footpaths and cycleways, of byways like Fox Covert Lane and the old Railway you are seeing things that are not possible after overdevelopment. As I walked the hedgerows abundant with rosehips, wildflowers, and ageing blackberries I and my fellow travellers were in no doubt that the green belt is worth the struggle, worth the contest with the big beasts that are the huge developers at Lugano and Banks, and fervent in our hope that the Northumberland County Council see things the same way when the decision is made in October. My thanks to all the team of locals who have given up their time to help at http://www.pontelandgreenbelt.co.uk/ponteland-greenbelt-group/ and to all the locals who have put up their signs in their gardens and hedgerows. There has never been a local campaign like this - or not for four years at least - when we last pulled out all the stops to beat O2 mobile phone Company, who wanted to put a phone mast by the Darras Hall First School. They said that campaign was impossible to win as well!
Showing posts with label 02 Mast Darras Hall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 02 Mast Darras Hall. Show all posts
Sunday, 15 September 2013
A long walk around the Ponteland Green Belt
Today I spent 4 hours walking the countryside that makes up the Green Belt around Ponteland, studying what you can only see on foot. The stormy weather that had hit us so hard during the day abated to produce a sunlit windswept autumnal day; hikers, dog walkers, parents with kids and cyclists shrugged at each other as if to say - this is what we like when autumn comes. Aside from the green lungs that is the wonder of Ponteland Park it was a delight to wander the footpaths and bridleways that surround this community. I met many locals: like the Ponteland man, who works as a headteacher in a school in Newcastle. We walked the footpath back into town between the High School and the proposed site of the Banks developement. He described to me how when he returns from work in Newcastle every day the sight of the green fields on the outskits of his home town fills him with comfort and a sense of peace. It is this desire to prevent an urban sprawl, and an acknowledgement of the need to protect the green spaces around our town, that motivates the local campaigners who oppose the Banks and Lugano developments. In barely a month we will know our fate when Northumberland County Council produces its local developmeent plan, which includes the review of the green belt around Ponteland. It is our fervent wish that this green belt is protected. This is not to say that we, or I, am against development of appropriate housing. I have backed wholeheartedly the housing plans at the old Ponteland Pollice Headquarters site, which will provide hundreds of homes, and again campaigned for the several hundred more homes being built to a very high standard by Bellway, as we speak, at the Stannington Hospital site. This will more than adequately accomodate local needs. Every councillor, member of parliamnent and community activist knows that you only discover a place by walking the ground. By seeing things that are not there when we whizz by in a car. I discovered a lot today. Taking in the delights of the footpaths and cycleways, of byways like Fox Covert Lane and the old Railway you are seeing things that are not possible after overdevelopment. As I walked the hedgerows abundant with rosehips, wildflowers, and ageing blackberries I and my fellow travellers were in no doubt that the green belt is worth the struggle, worth the contest with the big beasts that are the huge developers at Lugano and Banks, and fervent in our hope that the Northumberland County Council see things the same way when the decision is made in October. My thanks to all the team of locals who have given up their time to help at http://www.pontelandgreenbelt.co.uk/ponteland-greenbelt-group/ and to all the locals who have put up their signs in their gardens and hedgerows. There has never been a local campaign like this - or not for four years at least - when we last pulled out all the stops to beat O2 mobile phone Company, who wanted to put a phone mast by the Darras Hall First School. They said that campaign was impossible to win as well!
Sunday, 18 April 2010
02 Darras Hall Mast update
Great report in the Courant about the efforts of local councillors to ensure that the Councils disastrous approval of the 02 Mast does not go ahead. The article 4 application will go ahead to the Secretary of State. I saw some of the campaigners again on Saturday morning in Broadway and they are rightly determined to beat this multinational come what may
http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/news-at-a-glance/new-law-clears-way-for-mobile-phone-mast-ban-1.696774?referrerPath=news
http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/news-at-a-glance/new-law-clears-way-for-mobile-phone-mast-ban-1.696774?referrerPath=news
Friday, 9 April 2010
campaign day 3 - Corbridge, Haydon Bridge + 02
A packed day included trips to campaign in Corbridge, Oakwood [seen here], Haydon Bridge ending up in the Railway Pub and then off to catch the NCC Planning meeting to lend support to the 02 protesters.
Good feedback on the doorstep in Haydon Bridge in particular
Great result for the 02 Protesters who were out in force with Ian and Karen leading the way. The council members spoke eloquently and well in favour of the article 4 application which was passed.
Friday, 19 February 2010
02 Phone Mast in Darras Hall
Residents locally in Ponteland are rightly very angry that 02 are proposing to put a mast up directly outside the Darras Hall First School. Leave aside health concerns for the moment; any person would be upset when the application was rejected but the Council fails to lodge its rejection in time, thereby giving 02 permission by default.
There is a crunch meeting next week with protesters when 02 have to decide how they want to play this: they are trying to wheel out their big PR guns to persuade the community. But if a community says it does not want a phone mast outside a school, but will accept it in a field a short distance away - should they not listen to their local customers?
As a lawyer I have represented many action groups in the past and have been to this group's meetings: this action group are well organised, highly motivated, eloquent and up for the fray. 02 would be well advised not to take this particular group of protesters on, when there are reasonable alternatives for them to pursue. They have no moral right to this planning and they know it:
A good piece today in the Journal on this issue, and coverage building in Morpeth Herald and other media.
http://ponteland.journallive.co.uk/2010/02/phone-mast-saga-wont-go-away-s.html
There is a crunch meeting next week with protesters when 02 have to decide how they want to play this: they are trying to wheel out their big PR guns to persuade the community. But if a community says it does not want a phone mast outside a school, but will accept it in a field a short distance away - should they not listen to their local customers?
As a lawyer I have represented many action groups in the past and have been to this group's meetings: this action group are well organised, highly motivated, eloquent and up for the fray. 02 would be well advised not to take this particular group of protesters on, when there are reasonable alternatives for them to pursue. They have no moral right to this planning and they know it:
A good piece today in the Journal on this issue, and coverage building in Morpeth Herald and other media.
http://ponteland.journallive.co.uk/2010/02/phone-mast-saga-wont-go-away-s.html
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