Road, path and cycling improvements lined up for Cramlington

Northumberland County Council has secured £570,000 in Section 106 agreements from housing developers for the Beaconhill and Beacon Lane areas of the town.

The £383,000 has been released to the council and will now be added to the Council’s 2021/22 Local Transport Plan capital programme to carry out work in the area.

Outline planning permission has been granted to develop up to 1,600 new homes, a primary school, a new local centre including a convenience store, medical centre and pub, and associated infrastructure and landscaping on land south and west of White Hall Farm, commonly known as the ‘Cramlington South West Sector’.

The first batch of funding will see £168,000 for resurfacing of Beacon Lane and providing street lighting; £165,000 for Beaconhill Green, to provide a new 3 metre wide footpath/cycleway with lighting to link with the existing footpath/cycleway network; and £50,000 to fund an improved link from Beacon Lane to Beaconhill Primary School. This will include a new section of 3 metre wide footpath/cycleway with lighting, increasing the width of existing sections of footpath from 2 to 3 metres and upgrading existing lighting.

Coun John Riddle, cabinet member for local services, said: “This is an excellent example of the benefits to local communities of Section 106 agreements with developers.

"This funding will help to make real improvements to roads, footpaths and cycleways in Cramlington for the benefit of local residents.”

The second set of funding – £140,500 – will be released before sale of the 501st home; and the final £46,500 before sale of the first home in Phase B.