Petition Update - July 2026
After ongoing discussions in the community since the petition started, it’s important to shine a light on new information. Please give us a moment while we run through everything - thank you!
Cover Art Credit: @cobaltstudios.ouseburn taken at @theouseburnmarket - created by @wildintrigue @incubate_printmaking based at Cobalt
Side note: please do not donate to the petition - leave a comment or share instead :)
A common theme among those raising concerns about regeneration and development in Ouseburn has been a perceived lack of transparency and understanding around the planning process, alongside confusion around how decisions are made; by the time locals find out, it seems to be too late to act. This update is important to local residents and those who work in the Valley who feel unheard, so please read…
The Ouseburn Trust has made a recent social media post for locals looking to be part of the conversation… SEE FULL POST HERE - The following is quoted directly from Ouseburn Trust’s Instagram post dated 12th July 2026
“There's been a lot of talk about development in the Valley lately, so here's a reminder: our Planning and Development Group exists as a space for anybody with an interest in Ouseburn’s future to stay informed on what’s being proposed for development, ask questions, and feed into consultations. Whilst it isn't a decision-making body and can't block or approve applications, it's a way that you can have a say early on in the development process and help influence developers and comment on applications.”
You can find out more and join the group at ouseburntrust.org.uk/groups
ABOUT THE GROUP [From Website]: This group shapes policy around the regeneration of Ouseburn such that it continues to evolve as a mixed-use place, sensitive to the industrial heritage of the place and its character as a vibrant creative cluster in the North East. The group reviews and provides commentary on planning applications, meeting with developers at an early stage prior to their planning submission to help influence their plans for the area. They then seek a commitment from developers towards meeting the objectives of the Ouseburn Regeneration Plan, such that new developments make a positive contribution toward the regeneration of the Ouseburn, its mix of business, residential and leisure uses, characterised by the concept of live, work, play and learn.
For those who want to be more involved in the discussion on a wider scale, there’s also a Newcastle and Gateshead Local Plan consultation happening right now online - it is relevant to the Valley as well as wider housing issues facing the North East as the region grows in popularity. Although this consultation extends beyond Ouseburn, it will help shape planning policy that influences future housing and regeneration across Newcastle and Gateshead, shaping future decisions about housing, development and what is expected, proving to be a good opportunity for voices to be heard!
To participate, please visit: https://newcastlegatesheadplan.org/article/38572/Scoping-Consultation
Note this will only be available from 9am on 1st July until 5pm on 29th July 2026 !!
In the interests of presenting all sides of the discussion, Ouseburn Event Space has published its own response to concerns raised by members of the community… The following is quoted directly from Ouseburn Event Space’s Instagram post dated 28th June 2026
“Those of you who know us, have worked with us, collaborated with us and shared the good and also not so good times with us over many years will know we're usually more than happy to let the internet and social media do its thing. However, over the past few days there's been such a whole host of misinformation popping into people's feeds about our regeneration project in the Ouseburn that we couldn't in good faith stand idly by and let the errors, inaccuracies and misinterpretations pass without putting the record straight. When what's being said calls into question the entire ethos of how we've strived to work and contribute in some small way, to a city and community we love, we needed to clarify things. So, please bear with us while we explain a few points about what we wholeheartedly believe is a project that will enhance and reinvigorate what is presently a derelict corner of The Ouseburn - a neighbourhood we have been emotionally and physically invested in for many years and care deeply about.”
Please read their full statement here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DaH9mYpiP_K/?img_index=1
More information on council and the developer response can be found in this article by the BBC - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crm0l8m231go
There are inevitably going to be opposing opinions on the development, but key concerns continuously raised seem to be surrounding the impacts on wildlife, cost of living / concerns about affordable housing, and the protection of Newcastle’s creative quarter. This petition has become the catalyst for a wider conversation about how Ouseburn will develop over the next 20 years.
Organisations, individuals and local businesses have been adopting the slogan #keepouseburngrubby in response to the council's press release, and highlighting the frustration of ongoing developments that have constantly been a debate in the local area.
Joe Ingell, an Ouseburn resident and housing campaigner stated “Ouseburn is special because of the people, communities and creative spaces that have grown here over many years. Development should strengthen that, not push people out. With 57 homes approved at Lime Street and not a single social home included, we need to be asking who new development is actually for. Ouseburn should evolve, but in a way that protects what already makes it brilliant and provides genuinely affordable homes for local people.”
Ross Lewis (local music practitioner) spoke to BBC Newcastle about the concerns of more unaffordable housing, and the strain it puts on local communities in the Valley’s creative quarter - home to music venues and rehearsal spaces that have been down this path before.
Please listen to the full clip at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0nw53tb
Ross has also provided us with the following statement that reflects his personal opinion on the recent development approval…
“Newcastle is crying out for a 500-800 capacity venue in a place already synonymous with live music and culture and this plot was perfect for this. Sadly instead we’ll get flats that are priced out of reach of the young people who work in the Ouseburn bought by people as investments rather than homes.
More needs to be done to prevent private capital buying industrial buildings, leaving them empty and allowing them to fall into disrepair so demolition is presented as the only option. A well functioning society would have already seized this land and building and taken them back into shared public ownership.”
Over the last decade, 12,238 homes were delivered in Newcastle, and just 1.2% were for social rent, the most genuinely affordable form of social housing. With thousands of households waiting for a social home, these stats need to change. Shelter NE - an amazing organisation supporting those facing homelessness in the Newcastle and Gateshead - also spoke to us about the importance of affordable housing in the Byker area, part of a wider issue facing locals in the North East…
“Ouseburn and Byker's future should be shaped by the people who live and work there. As regeneration continues, it's vital that new development includes genuinely affordable social housing alongside protection for the area's heritage, creative spaces, green assets and community identity. Growth should create opportunities for local people, not price them out of the neighbourhoods they call home.” - Tracy Guy, Strategic Lead for Shelter North East
This petition is evolving beyond a single planning application. Our aim is to bring together residents, creatives, businesses, housing advocates, environmental groups, heritage organisations and planning professionals to help shape the future of Ouseburn. We believe development and conservation should not be mutually exclusive, and that future regeneration should protect the Valley’s cultural identity, biodiversity, creative economy and community while responding to the city’s changing housing needs.
The conversations happening over the last four weeks have highlighted something much bigger than we thought: People from across the North East really care, and have been raising important questions about housing, heritage, biodiversity, creativity and how communities can meaningfully shape the places they call home. Our goal is to influence safeguarding of spaces, policy, and planning outcomes for future developments - with a focus on lawful advocacy, public engagement / awareness, and policy change.
We are hoping to build on this momentum, but it is important to note that this petition stems from a place of passion for the local scene and care for Ouseburn’s identity, but it does not condone hate or abuse towards any parties involved.
Over the coming weeks we’ll be continuing these conversations, speaking with more local organisations, experts and community voices to better understand what Ouseburn’s future could - and should - look like. Our aim isn’t simply to revisit one decision, but to help create a constructive dialogue around how future developments can protect what makes the Valley special while allowing it to evolve responsibly.
This is just the beginning. We appreciate everyone who has contributed so far.
For those who made it to the end of this post, thank you and watch this space.