North Heaton Action File
Cragside Phone Mast: Round Two
Although the city council supported GREG and residents who opposed the recent application for a Vodafone mast on upper Newton Road near Cragside school and refused permission, we understand a new application has been made. We continue to feel the site is inappropriate and believe there are no good grounds to overturn the decision. Shortly before going to print we received further notification of a planning application for a phone mast at Motor World, Chillingham Road. If any residents in the vicinity wish to object, please get in touch with us.
Boots: Made For Walking?
GREG has asked Boots to take steps to improve disabled access to their store on Chillingham Road on behalf of local wheelchair users who cannot currently get into the building. The Boots regional manager has been helpful and responsive to our request and discussions are under way with the council planning department to find a suitable solution. Ministry and Freeman Hospital Staff Bus Service Members of staff at the Freeman Hospital and Ministry sites have been in discussions with GREG to try to restore special peak time bus services which have been cancelled. We want to investigate ways in which these routes can be restored - they previously ran from Walker and Wallsend to the sites, and from the Outer West and Gosforth. We are concerned that the loss of these services will add to commuter parking problems in the ward.
In The Bleak Midwinter
As ever, we are hugely grateful to our dedicated neighbourhood council team for their dedication during the lengthy spell of winter weather before Christmas. The council were very effective at keeping main roads clear and many people have commented how much better Newcastle coped than neighbouring councils. Our local team also went beyond the call of duty to make sure that elderly, disabled, and vulnerable people were not "snowed in".
Despite having purchased a large quantity of new grit bins in preparation for the winter, we're conscious that some side-streets and cul-de-sacs were still quite perilous and we are already planning to install a further batch to areas where they're in short supply, including the High Heaton estate, Jesmond Park West / Southlands, and the bungalows area. They're intended to help keep pavements and roads clear - please use responsibly, and resist the temptation to use them to clear your own drive!
News In Brief
New parking bay arrangements will be installed in the vicinity of Chillingham Road shops in the spring. We recognise they are important for the business of local traders, but we are also conscious that problem parking is an issue for residents of the side streets off Coquet Terrace and Sefton Avenue
Work is continuing to repair and replace the crash barriers along the Coast Road - apologies for any disruption caused to residents.
The construction work for the replacement Sainsburys store should commence shortly - we are delighted to see the back of the derelict business units on the adjacent site, which has now been cleared! We are supporting local residents' concerns over yet more hot food takeaway applications at the Red Hall Drive junction and on Chillingham Road- there have been too many in recent years. We are pressing the council's licensing department for special "saturation zone" status - we don't want every shop turned into a takeaway!