Highcliffe Housing Plan Rejected Over Jesmond Wood Tree Concerns

They want to build nine houses in Jesmond Wood. It is located on Jesmond Avenue. The plan included removing 76 trees. A council officer, Charlotte Haines, disagreed.

She said more trees would likely be lost. Thirty replanted trees would be cut down. Fifty more new trees will be lost too. The report didn’t count smaller trees. All trees there have protection orders.

Haines also said the plan had flaws. It didn’t address flood risk properly. The plan also risked the protected trees. A local councillor, Andy Martin, spoke. He said they will keep fighting for the wood.

He wants to stop all building plans. He aims to protect the woodland forever. He thanked the planning officers. He also thanked the parish council. He appreciated the 200 residents who objected.

The landowner, Bulstrode, bought the land. He paid £300,000 in 2015. Another £300,000 was payable later. He keeps trying to build there. Residents strongly oppose this idea.

The council’s plan calls the land “open space.” It intends the area for recreation, not buildings. Bulstrode hired lawyers because of this plan. He is challenging the planning rejections.

A plan for 40 homes failed in 2017. Another plan for 23 homes failed in 2020. A third plan, with 16 homes, failed in 2022.