Earlier this month Newcastle City Council granted listed building consent, under delegated powers, to allow for the partial demolition of the remains of Woolsington Hall. The planning committee did not meet to decide on this matter, despite public concern over the future of the site. The demolition process is now well underway and scaffolding surrounds the remnants of the historic hall. There has been no further mention of future plans for the hall and grounds and no news from the police investigation into arson. But the burning embers of the Woolsington blaze recently made it into the pages of the Northern Correspondent magazine. http://northerncorrespondent.com/shop/issue-7/built-to-last/ You may also recall the planning application for the installation of bird netting and an avishock system on the north tower of the Tyne Bridge to prevent kittiwakes from nesting, which was submitted late last year. This controversial application received over 1,070 objections and has now been withdrawn. There were fears for the kittiwake nesting sites on the Tyne Bridge when it was discovered that spikes had been installed on the north tower without permission. These spikes have now been removed and the kittiwakes have returned, hopefully for another successful breeding season. Efforts are ongoing to secure the future of the birds on the Newcastle/Gateshead Quayside. Meanwhile, Save Newcastle Wildlife is holding ‘Kittiwake Calling’ this Friday – Good Friday, 25th March – to celebrate the kittiwakes’ safe return to their time-honoured nesting site. We will meet at 11am under the north tower of the Tyne Bridge. The Urban Birder - broadcaster, writer, naturalist and photographer David Lindo - has kindly produced a statement on the significance of these special birds, which will be read out at the gathering. Please join us, come rain or shine, and spread the word.