Campaigners have slammed a ‘relentless assault’ on Newcastle’s green space, amid plans for another 900 homes in the north west of the city.
Banks Property confirmed its plans last week to develop a new ‘Kingston Village’ community to the west of Brunton Lane, adjacent to the massive 4,500-home Newcastle Great Park estate.
But opponents have warned that the area’s roads, schools, and other infrastructure is already stretched to breaking point.
Rachel Locke, of Save Newcastle Wildlife, said: “This development will see yet more fields paved over, with hedgerows and trees lost in what seems like a relentless assault on green open space to the north of the city.
“The council is already failing to plan for parks and open spaces for new communities. Shoehorning in more houses above and beyond what is allocated in the development plan will exacerbate the problem.
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“This is a bleak forecast for future residents and a further nail in the coffin for wildlife in the urban fringes.”
Coun Anita Lower, Newcastle’s Lib Dem opposition leader, said that local services are “already stretched to maximum capacity” and urged the city council to “get tough” to ensure new infrastructure is put in place.
She added: “As a local councillor for Kingston Park, I have huge concerns about all of the developments going on in the area, not just this one. There are huge developments all the way around the rugby club and towards Dinnington.
“I worry about the infrastructure in Kingston Park, we are already at high capacity for roads and schools. Yes, build houses if we need them, but we should be looking at the infrastructure first of all.
“It is upsetting for people who live there and just want a quality of life that is liveable. Not being able to get out of your streets to get to the shops or wherever is not liveable.”
There have been repeated complaints over a lack of services - such as shops and GP provision - on the Great Park, as well as growing concerns over the influx of thousands of new cars to the area.
However, Banks claims that infrastructure improvements are “absolutely at the heart of this project” and that upgrades to Brunton Lane itself will “make it far safer and more usable for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike”.
Jeannie Kielty, community relations manager at The Banks Group , added: “A network of public footpaths and cycle ways, including links to nearby Newcastle Great Park and Kingston Park, would be put in place, while improved public transport links would be created to benefit new and existing residents, and a new primary school and retail units would also be built which will help to reduce the duration and number of car journeys that local people need to make as part of their everyday lives.
“As part of our proposals for Kingston Village, we will also contribute towards Newcastle City Council’s planned improvements to the local and wider strategic road network.
“We have held discussions with Save Newcastle Wildlife about this project and incorporated numerous environmental and biodiversity measures into our planning application.”
The developer, which is also behind controversial coal mine plans for Dewley Hill in Throckley and Druridge Bay in Northumberland, is hoping to get the green light for the project from Newcastle City Council’s planning committee later this year.
A council spokesman said: “We can confirm the council has received a planning application for a new housing development between Kingston Park and Dinnington.
“We are currently awaiting further information before the application can be validated so it is not currently available to view on our website.
“Once validated we will carry out consultation and all views will be taken into account in the decision-making process.”
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