Owners of Morpeth's Gather claim council issued ‘unlawful’ stop notice

Gather is an enclosed meadow situated on Green Belt land at Monks Lodge with canvas awnings, nature trails and a coffee van.

On select days over the summer, the meadow hosted events such as family fun days, yoga classes and run clubs.

Since launching in May, Gather has operated under permitted development rights for 28 days a year but had sought permission to increase to 60 days.

The application was recommended for refusal over insufficient information about highways, parking, pedestrian safety, noise and impact on neighbours.

However, ahead of the meeting, an appeal was lodged with the planning inspectorate.

Owner, Tom Backhouse said: “We have become increasingly concerned with the council. They kept claiming we have not provided information but we have and it’s all in writing.”

Gather was set to host a ‘forest school’ event in collaboration with a local school on Sunday, September 20.

Northumberland County Council (NCC) then issued a Gather with a Temporary Stop Notice. Tom claims this notice was unlawful as the event did not exceed the permitted 28 days.

“To serve a temporary stop notice, there needs to be a danger to life or a danger to the environment,” said Tom. “They’ve served one to an empty field.

“This is an abuse of power because this is not obligation. It’s illegal and they don’t have a right to do this.”

Following the stop notice, the family decided to continue to host the event for free from their own garden space.

Instead of paying for tickets, attendees made donations to Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

Tom has now launched a petition which calls for NCC to withdraw the stop notice and develop policy which supports landowners in creating season outdoor education and community wellbeing spaces.

“I'm in a privileged position to be able to say no to this and to stand up to this,” Tom added. “We've had so much support and it has been amazing.”

NCC claim that use of the land has exceeded 28 days and that planning permission is therefore required for any further events.

A spokesperson added: "All planning permission requests are carefully considered by the Council's Planning Committee.

"A planning application was submitted seeking permission to use the land for seasonal outdoor recreation, wellbeing and community activities, together with the sale of food and drink from a mobile structure.

"The Committee's view is that the use of the land is unacceptable in planning terms and therefore a Temporary Stop Notice has been served.”

Some neighbours have raised concerns about noise, parking and traffic as well as the potential impact on nearby residents, the green belt and Newminster Abbey.

Tom added: “We're not building houses. We're not building a leisure centre. We're not opening a venue.

“We are opening the gate to our field, to the community of Morpeth, with a coffee trailer one day a week. We have never ever hidden our agenda.”