Site pages last updated 4th January 2025
Fellgate stands as a haven amidst the urban sprawl of Jarrow, Hebburn and Sunderland Tyne and Wear. A bastion of greenery and fertile farmland. It now faces the relentless march of urbanisation, which brings pollution, increases flooding, destroys wild life, decimates bio diversity, will end generations of farming with a loss of vital jobs and increases traffic congestion along the major roads towards White Mare Pool. This remaining green belt is not just soil, crops and grass; it’s a crucial sanctuary for diverse life forms, a purveyor of fresh air, and a vital link for our community to nature’s bounty. Yet, this sanctuary is now imperilled, threatened by the looming spectre of development. We implore your aid in its defence.
Breaking News
Following further investigations in relation to Rohm & Haas land and comments from several sources and some councillors that the land is contaminated, I have found the following from South Tyneside Council’s web site and from Gov.uk. web site.
1. Contaminated land in South Tyneside (click this link to read their report)
Some sites in South Tyneside have previously been used for industrial purposes.
Work has been carried out to make these sites safe.
There are currently no ‘contaminated land’ sites as defined under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the borough, so South Tyneside does not have a contaminated land register.
2. Gov.uk Land contamination: technical guidance (click this link to read their report)
On the 12th December 2024 the government published a revised National Planning Policy Framework. This sets out the government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied.
A link to the Policy paper National Planning Policy Framework where you can download it to your computer.
A Link to an online searchable version of National Planning Policy Framework
Annex 1: Implementation
This section explains how councils should proceed. This in my opinion is complicated and it will be down to South Tyneside to consider the implications of this framework.
In this annex alone there are over 26 conditions/options that the council must consider in order to act on this Implementation.
Therefore, quite rightly South Tyneside Council will need time review this document, identify where in the process the current defeated Local Plan sits and how they intend to address the implication raised from Local Plan motion.
We implore that South Tyneside keeps the residences of South Tyneside in the communication loop and does not make any rash decisions to force the current Local Plan through.
On 14th December 2024 the SavetheFellgateGreenBelt working group met with Kate Osborne and Cllr Geraldine Kilgour to discuss the next steps in the campaign.
We covered a number of topic such as South Tyneside approach to the Local Plan, the concerns that brown field and derelict land is still not being considered for regeneration, even though it is Government Policy, understanding the current status of the Rohm & Haas land in the centre of Jarrow, the publication of the updated National Planning Policy Framework and her correspondence to the Leader of South Tyneside Council.
Kate has said on her Facebook page:
“I spent this morning catching up with the Save Fellgate Greenbelt group and Cllr Geraldine Kilgour to discuss the next steps in the campaign. Our Government has been very clear that we inherited a Housing crisis and we will deliver housing reforms and planning reform to ensure we have the housing our country needs, we have been just as clear that Local Councils must adopt a ‘brownfield first’ approach to development and look at poorer quality ‘grey belt’ land.
South Tyneside Council have not done that and I have written to them again this week urging them to look at the many alternative options and potential brownfield sites”.
The working group thanks her for taking the time to meet with us. There was a great deal of positives that came from the meeting which going forward, will hopefully help in our Campaign to Save the Fellgate Green Belt. Your ongoing support is appreciated.
A Must Read – We need your Help
Click this link to follow posts relating to South Tyneside plan to resubmit the defeated Local Plan
(History of breaking New can be found in the News Page)
Thanks to our supporter outside the Town Hall
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