'Horse power ' as we used to know it
To anyone familiar with the unfolding nightmare of Haddrick's Mill, news that creating new 'villages' is leading to increased car dependency will not come as a surprise. The bricking over the Newcastle Green Belt Mania that never seems to end was undertaken either without thinking of the impact of the drive to maximise private profits (house builders (sic) giants bottom line), or maybe they did and it didn't matter. Anyone could predict this would have a huge impact on traffic into and out of the city. So, Newcastle chopped down a huge number of trees (Maples are still trees), and began a vast publicly funded road scheme to ease thousands more car journeys produced by new housing into and out of ... South Gosforth. Where they go afterwards is a conundrum for bigger brains than mine. Matthew Bank replaced by a flyover? Osborne Road junction widened? The new Blue House Motorway Interchange?
Meanwhile large sites cleared of former industry remain across the city and exciting new developments in the east and west show how areas can be transformed. But obviously, getting a glimpse of distant greenery from your upstairs two point five metre square 'master bedroom style' broom cupboard is worth paying thousands more for. Nipping out tot he shops though ...
Reality strikes. Link to B.B.C. article (off site) here. The Campaign for Rural England (CPRE) are also chiming in here (Off site link). But methinks it is too little too late.
