The Secretary of State has decided NOT to call in the Woolsington Hall applications. We have written to Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell, asking her to contact the Secretary of State directly, requesting the reasons for allowing this decision to be made locally, given the level of national controversy it has generated. Here is the letter that was sent from the National Planning Casework Unit to Newcastle City Council, informing of the decision. Mr Browell Newcastle City Council Via email: billy.browell@newcastle.gov.uk Please ask for: Fiona Hobbs Tel: 0303 44 48066 Email: Fiona.hobbs@communities.gsi.gov.uk Your ref: 2014/1925/01/DET & 2014/1926/01/LBC Our ref: NPCU/RTI/M4510/77072 Date: 10 November 2016 Dear Mr Browell Town and Country Planning Act 1990 Application: Demolition of courtyard buildings, World War II hospital buildings, stable block extensions, outbuildings, two farmhouses and farm buildings and two dwellings to facilitate the restoration, conversion and extension of Woolsington Hall, Stables, Coach House and Orangery with the erection of one and two storey extensions and outbuildings to form a 32 bed Hotel (Class C1), restaurant (Class A3) and staff accommodation; Erection of spa complex (Class D2) with associated Energy Centre; Conversion and extension of gardeners cottage to form cookery school with ancillary guest accommodation (Sui Generis) and erection of marquee within walled garden and potting sheds for assembly and leisure events (Sui Generis); Erection of 10 woodland lodges (Class C1); formation of 18 hole golf course, grassed playing pitch, and erection of golf club house; and restoration of Monks Hut all with associated car parking for 238 vehicles and associated landscaping works; Erection of 72 dwellings with ancillary estate road, 10 visitor parking bays, landscaping and substation; and the creation of new vehicular access through existing stone wall onto Ponteland Road as amended by details received 10.04.2015, 16.04.2015, 29.04.2015, 30.04.2015 and 29.09.2016 Application Number: 2014/1925/01/DET Listed Building Application: Demolition of courtyard buildings, World War II hospital buildings, stable block extensions, outbuildings, two farmhouses and farm buildings and two detached dwellings; and internal and external refurbishment with the erection of one and two storey extensions to Woolsington Hall and Coach House to form a 32 bed Hotel, Internal and external alterations to Orangery and Stables with erection of single storey extension to form restaurant/Cafe. Application Number: 2014/1926/01/LBC I refer to the above applications which have been the subject of third party requests to call in for determination by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The Secretary of State has carefully considered the cases against call-in policy, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement by Nick Boles on 26 October 2012. The policy makes it clear that the power to call in any case will only be used very selectively. The Government is committed to give more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues, and believes planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible. In deciding whether to call in these applications, the Secretary of State has considered his policy on calling in planning applications. This policy gives examples of the types of issues which may lead him to conclude, in his opinion that an application should be called in. The Secretary of State has decided, having had regard to this policy, not to call in these applications. He is content that they should be determined by the local planning authority. In considering whether to exercise the discretion to call in these applications, the Secretary of State has not considered the matter of whether these applications are EIA Development for the purposes of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011. The local planning authority responsible for determining these applications remains the relevant authority responsible for considering whether these Regulations apply to this proposed development and, if so, for ensuring that the requirements of the Regulations are complied with. Yours sincerely Edward Chapman Edward Chapman Planning Casework Manager