Protest group formed to fight Duke of Northumberland’s plans

Northumberland Estates has drawn up plans for a ‘lifetime neighbourhood’ of nearly 100 homes on Amble Braid.

But members of the ‘No Road on the Braid’ protest group are upset that the proposed access to the site on the south side of The Gut would ‘dissect the Braid with a wide and unfenced road’, immediately adjacent to the already designated Village Green area.

Paul Dancer, a retired land agent and chartered surveyor, said: “This large open area is extensively used by residents, dog walkers and visitors alike and there is a dearth of such public open space in and around Amble, so the loss of any area has to be of great concern.”

“The proposals are currently light on detail but include sections on improving biodiversity. How can an access road serving nearly 100 residential units do anything but harm biodiversity?

"The group know the open Braid area is already inhabited by barn owls, bats, herons, stoats etc with the ground across The Gut a dense cover of brambles, scrub tree growth ideal for much bird life and small mammals. The government is promoting rewilding and not the loss of such vital habitats.

“This land has been public open space for decades and was dedicated as such by Alnwick District Council and should be prevented from being built on. The crossing of The Gut by bridge or culvert is extremely problematic and will have an effect on wildlife and drainage flows.

“The road will carry a lot of traffic and is likely to have street lighting which will ruin the open space with light pollution and the visible columns.

“The group is upset at the lack of direct engagement by representatives of Northumberland Estates and those residents which are going to be detrimentally affected by these proposals.

“The access from the A1068 is not adequate for a development of this size through the construction phase and for subsequent years once fully developed and occupied.”

The Duke of Northumberland’s development company has been seeking feedback from the local community on its proposals, which include independent supported living apartments, residential apartments and traditional housing on a greenfield site where a Tesco supermarket had originally been planned.

Northumberland Estates has previously outlined a commitment to providing new homes that help to meet local needs, noting the high demand across the county for better quality homes suitable for people in later life, that can be adapted to changing needs, and allow people to stay living within their own community.

The proposed accommodation would provide a range of one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes, designed to facilitate the changing needs of residents over their lifetimes.

It envisages 48 extra care apartments. This independent supported living accommodation would comprise 38 two-bedroom and 10 one-bedroom homes. It would include staff facilities, communal lounges and open green space.

A further 35 residential two-bedroom apartments would be provided alongside 10 residential two-bedroom houses, including some ‘affordable housing’.

To see the plans and leave your comments, visit the website: https://www.amble-lifetime-neighbourhood.co.uk

Once the application is submitted there will be further opportunity for comments to be made through the planning process.