We, the undersigned, strongly oppose the proposed housing development by Forric Homes on the A694 opposite Cowen Terrace in Rowlands Gill. This green belt location sits on a busy arterial road within a sensitive wildlife corridor that forms part of the wider Derwent Valley environment, a designated Local Wildlife Site.

Development here would cause significant risk to road safety, local character, and the ecological integrity of the area.

Why this specific site is unsuitable:

Traffic and road-safety risks

• The A694 is already a heavily used through-route connecting Consett, Rowlands Gill, and Gateshead. The proposed development on the A694 would significantly worsen road safety and congestion on a route that is already operating under considerable strain.
• Within just 500 metres of the site there have been 51 recorded accidents since 2000, including one fatality, and the road has recently required an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order to reduce the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph following a public petition about safety concerns.
• The A694 experiences an average of 13,509 vehicles per day, and the addition of approximately 390 new homes in the Rowlands Gill area in the past ten years has congestion intensify further.
• The proposed access point sits close to two main bus stops and Rowlands Gill Primary School, with Dominies Close and Sherburn Towers junctions already experiencing hazardous conditions due to school-related traffic and a blind corner. Introducing an additional junction would heighten collision risk for drivers and for the many pedestrians, cyclists, dog walkers, horse riders, and school children who rely on the adjacent path as a key route to the Derwent Walk.
• The road requires frequent pothole repairs, contributing to an ongoing carbon footprint that the council has already acknowledged. Taken together, these factors demonstrate that further development in this location would materially compromise safety, increase congestion, and place unsustainable pressure on local infrastructure.

Environmental and wildlife impact

• The land opposite Cowen Terrace forms part of the green corridor linking directly into the Derwent Valley, confirmed home to red kites, bats, and other protected species. Development by Forric Homes would fragment habitats and reduce biodiversity in an area known for its ecological importance.
• Pressure on local services — Rowlands Gill’s GP surgery, dentist and public transport are already stretched. Additional housing from this development would increase demand without any corresponding investment in infrastructure.
• Loss of village character — The Forric Homes proposal would erode the semi-rural feel of the A694 corridor and visually encroach on the gateway into Rowlands Gill. The proposed development is not in keeping with the surrounding streetscene, particularly the street opposite the development site, Cowen Terrace. In addition to this the residents of Cowen Terrace would most certainly suffer a significant loss of sunlight and privacy due to the raised level nature of the street.
• Drainage and flood-risk concerns — The land opposite Cowen Terrace has known surface-water issues. Replacing permeable ground with hardstanding increases flood risk for existing homes and disrupts natural drainage patterns along the A694. Water supply and quality are a recurring theme in the area and a new housing development will most certainly impact this.
•  Public Interest – In an initial consultation by Hedley Planning Services and Forric Homes, 85% objected to the development, therefore the developer is progressing this application for their own interest and not for community want.

What we are asking for

We call on Gateshead Council to reject the Forric Homes planning application and ensure that any future development in Rowlands Gill:

• Protects the Derwent Valley’s wildlife and green corridors
• Respects the scale and character of the village
• Does not worsen traffic or road-safety risks on the A694 when a prolonged process has just been undertaken to decrease risk
• Ensures local services and infrastructure can cope
• Avoids building on land with drainage or flood-risk concerns