In an article published this week, the environment reporter for the Newcastle Journal and its sister publication the Chronicle has acknowledged the loss of the North East's green belt. The article centres on Washington and Gateshead campaigners, who have recently joined forces to oppose green belt developments and refers to the recent publication from the Department for Communities and Local Government, which reveals the extent of the loss of Newcastle's green belt – 9% in the past year. The story states that two separate petitions have been set up by the campaigners, each with less than 1,000 signatures. Astoundingly, given that petitions with less than 1,000 signatories have made the local news, the landmark 10,000 mark reached by the Save Woolsington Woods petition has gone unreported – except for a reference that the controversial development will be an item on the agenda at a campaign meeting next week! Why has a petition with over 10,150 signatures, opposing one of the most controversial green belt developments in the city, gone unacknowledged by Newcastle’s ‘number one’ news publication when Newcastle North MP, Catherine McKinnell, has written personally to the Secretary of State to ask for this milestone figure to be acknowledged? On Friday, The Journal and its sister paper on Teesside, the Gazette, are holding a business breakfast entitled 'What Now for the Northern Powerhouse?' at the Sir John Hall-owned Wynyard Hall.