Yesterday planning officers recommended approval for the controversial developments at Woolsington Woods. Councillors will make a final decision at the planning committee next Friday at 9.30am in the Civic Centre, Newcastle. We urge you to attend if possible – a big crowd of objectors would show the strength of feeling against the plans. This setback comes just days after the campaign made the headlines in the regional press. http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/woolsington-green-campaigners-fear-planners-9465098 We believe Newcastle City Council is having the wool pulled over its eyes by developers who have failed to provide financial justification for building on the green belt and destroying 30 acres of mature woodland. Cameron Hall – the developers who submitted the planning application - are claiming they need to build in the woodland to finance the renovation of the now almost derelict Grade II-listed building, Woolsington Hall, but the evidence for this has not been made publicly available. We are now calling on our MP to pressure the council to make public the developer’s finances. The land earmarked for development was not included in Newcastle City Council’s strategic planning framework for development in the city. Under the National Planning Policy Framework, the green belt should only be built on in exceptional circumstances – not to make way for unnecessary and financially unjustifiable luxury homes. Tomorrow we will be holding a dusk vigil in Woolsington Woods and invite those who can to attend. We will meet at 8pm at the Wheatsheaf pub near Callerton Parkway Metro. We only have a few days to gather signatures and need your support more than ever. Thank you for all your contributions. We will not give up the fight.