Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Spring Stop Go

 Warm weather then more rain and cold. It's Spring as we know it.

I caught a rumour about the Council having 'plans' for the City Stadium, but as yet no solid information. When it comes it will be bad news. One can rely on that.





Next the Daffodils (and sunshine!)



Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Ouseburn Way – Downhill from here?

 


An initiative has been launched that plans to regenerate the entire length of the Ouseburn. This initiative is supposedly sponsored by the Reese Foundation who have a website with details of their plan and a video here. (off site link)

The Reese Foundation gave a presentation to the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) on 13th January 2024. NHSN supports the Reece Foundation's 'vision' for the Ouseburn Way.

I attended this meeting. I concluded that Reece are sincere but that the scheme a.k.a. Ouseburn Way fits into a pattern that Newcastle (and North Tyneside Council) are keen to expand over green space:  Housing.

In a communication that I had before the meeting of the N.H.S.N. I wrote:–

'... my experience of Newcastle City Council’s public consultation is negative (pace the Leazes Park scandal of last century). As I understand it, the City Stadium site that I have devoted much time to recording on my blog, has no Statutory designation. When Newcastle City Council applied for National Lottery grants for the route of the Ouseburn through Armstrong and Heaton Parks the City Stadium was excluded. There were plans on the table in 1997-8 to convert the Stadium site into (variously)  a car park (1300 spaces!) and then a sports complex for students. During one viewing of these public plans of the City Stadium site as it then existed, it was described to me by a P.R. agent as ’threatening’ – a ploy used with some success against Leazes Park.

Much of what the Ouseburn from Haddrick’s Mill down to the Tyne has arisen through local initiative or that great ally of Nature, neglect. The chief issue is the water quality. Since this is the responsibility of a foreign owned water business with only a fiduciary duty to its shareholders I see this as an Achilles heel for the promoters of the scheme. Other factors are a lack of husbandry and litter – I do a small amount when I can. New exercise equipment and furniture rapidly disappeared beneath graffiti.

Newcastle City Council (a series of Russian dolls in truth) are irredeemably corporatist and well matched to the theme park approach ably set out in the [Reece Foundation] video. I judge this to be a way to entice property developers to brick in the upper Ouseburn even beyond current plans; the character of the Lower Ouseburn has been lost through greed. The interest in wildlife is pure Disney-dressing.'


Tidying up the Ouseburn and giving this water course a 'branding' is way to attract house builders and increase property values and Council Tax receipts for two cash strapped local authorities. Reece may think they can play the Councils' but my thoughts are entirely 180 degrees opposite.

A public meeting has been called to discuss the less than obvious implications of these proposals further.







Thursday, February 8, 2024

A view

I stumbled on this video recently. It covers some of the same ground and opinions shared by this blog, so I post it here: Link to YouTube in new window.




David's Linkedin  (Off site link}


Friday, January 12, 2024

Lighting up green space ...

Whoever we are, wherever we are, contact with something greater than ourselves

The indefatigable John Urquhart has been campaigning for several years to retain the integrity of Havannah Nature Reserve from being entirely swamped by Newcastle City Council's chums and co-partners in ribbon housing development on the city's Green Belt (sic). Here is his latest missal (missile?) delivered to the self promoting 'green conscious' planners in the Civic Centre: 

(The Journal 9th January 2023, reproduced by permission)

 Dear Sir

If anyone wonders why biodiversity is on the decline, they need look no further than Newcastle City Council.  Their latest move on the environment is to drive a strategic lighted path smack through the middle of Havannah Nature Reserve, involving 25 streetlights at a height of five metres each.

Even a nine-year-old child knows that such a plan will play havoc with the ecology of Havannah, particularly nocturnal wildlife and bats.

This plan is a complete misuse of public funds at a time when vital sectors in Newcastle are crying out for cash. If our 78 city councillors are so concerned about putting “development” before wildlife, then they should pay for this plan out of their own pocket.  Already we pay them thousands of pounds a year to act in our best interests, but this certainly is not.  Each of them should also provide an answer to the simple question; “Why are you so unaware of nature that you are prepared to wreck Havannah by putting through this ridiculous lighting scheme?”

Even a nine-year-old deserves an answer to that question.


Yours faithfully

John Urquhart
Cities 4 People


During the restrictions imposed by the Covid Pandemic, millions of us discovered the mental and physical benefits of accessing green spaces close to home; numerous anecdotes and articles attested to the 'saving grace' of being able to walk outside locally, even in the least of green places close to home, islands in which for a while one could lose oneself, unwind, relax, think .... The mental health aspects of contact with nature – even being able to see it from a sick bed – are well known and widely accepted. For this insight into our lives to be pushed ever further away by an entirely financially driven cynical answer to our national housing problem is worse than short sighted*. But it is surely part of a pattern – that our Council's  greenwash is getting so dilute now however much they splash it around, one can see straight through it.

* My thoughts on that real housing crisis will play a part in future posts. Expensive, aspirational housing (often investment vehicles) on the countryside fringes aren't and never were meant to be the answer to the problem.


Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Year's End

One of the better signs that has emerged in these last few difficult years, has been the recognition of open space, green space and just plain old 'open air' that enhances our shared lives. It's been encouraging to see how well used the City Stadium this has been this year, and hopefully more possibilities to come, for families, residents and wildlife. A new notice board that highlights local events, facilities and artists and makers is another welcome sign of that recognition. All of this is a long way from threats that once seemed poised to snatch this precious green space away and cover it with tarmac!

So, here's to the future!

Seasons Greetings to one and all and a Happy New Year 2024




The Vale in Snow