Newbottle, Tyne and Wear
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Newbottle | |
  Newbottle shown within Tyne and Wear |
|
| Metropolitan borough | City of Sunderland |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan county | Tyne and Wear |
| Region | North East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HOUGHTON LE SPRING |
| Postcode district | DH4 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Tyne and Wear |
| Ambulance | North East |
| European Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament | Houghton and Washington East |
| List of places: UK • England • Tyne and Wear | |
Newbottle is a village in North East England, lying directly between Durham and Sunderland, one and a half miles north of Houghton-le-Spring. The village occupies an elevated position and is accessed from three sides up a steep bank.
Neighbouring villages / areas include Grasswell (between Newbottle and Houghton le Spring), Shiney Row (between Newbottle and Washington, Tyne and Wear), Herrington Burn (between Newbottle and Shiney Row) and Success/Philadelphia (between Newbottle and Herrington Burn).
The name Newbottle derives from the Saxon 'New Battle' meaning 'new settlement'. The local church, St Matthews, dates from 1850. The village centre is a designated conservation area.
The village is situated in the Copt Hill ward on a predominantly Labour run council, however since the local elections of May 2007 the ward itself is served by an Independent Councillor. Along with many other communities the local economy has changed over the past generation. The Co-operative store and Post Office have closed and the land and property developed. The village is served by Newbottle Workingmen's Club CIU, The Jolly Potters, The Sun Inn and Benito's at Queens Head. A Newsagent/General Dealer serves the local community along with an Off-Licence/Store.
Newbottle has been featured in the media since 2005 North East News, BBC Look North, Durham FM, BBC Radio Newcastle, Sunderland Echo, The Journal, Evening Chronicle and The Guardian as 7,000 trees, which are part of the Great North Forest are being threatened to be chopped down to make way for 20 new football pitches, car parking and infrastructure. As a result of this threat many protestors have been campaigning "Save Our Trees!". On June 29, 2006 a 'chain saw' gang acting on the instructions of developers moved into the wood and began felling trees. This action forced the local community to apply to the high court in London for an emergency injunction. Mr Justice Bennett granted the high court injunction.
See separate site for TWAG (Trees and Wildlfe Action Group)
On 3 July 2006 the Sunderland Echo reported that a poll conducted by them had established that 91% of Sunderland folk said that thousands of trees should not be cut down to make way for junior football pitches in Newbottle.
Consequently, there was much debate among the community regarding the prospect of the new football pitches; since other members of the village community are part of The Russell Foster League; an amateur league based in the region for youth players- and the creation of these pitches would have benefited them greatly. The two existing football pitches in the village at the Recreation Ground and Hawthorn Street, used since the 1960's by Newbottle Workingmen's Club, The Sun Inn and Jolly Potters stand idle...... This is indeed yet another biased statement of opinion rather than fact ......
Newbottle Community group TWAG in November 2006, applied to the high court to seek permission for a judicial review. Permission was granted following a hearing.
On 29 June 2007, exactly one year to the day that the 'chain saws' had moved into Newbottle Wood, in Court 3 of the Royal Courts of Justice The High Court in London the Newbottle Community brought a test case legal action case:CO/5376/2006 against The Forestry Commissioners DEFRA. Mr Justice Collins, the Administration Court's leading judge, ruled the land should remain untouched and he quashed the decision of the Forestry Commissioners. Trees & Wildlife Action Group TWAG backed by Friends of the Earth Rights & Justice Centre were represented in court by the Hartlepool Ghost Ship legal team; instucting solicitor, Phil Michaels and barrister David Wolfe from Matrix Chambers.
On 30 June 2007 the Sunderland Echo reported the high court decision on their front page under the headline 'Tree-mendous'. The Sunderland Echo repeated the poll from the previous year, but this time asked a more bold question. 'Should the go-ahead have been given for youth football pitches at Newbottle?' On 2 July 2007 the Sunderland Echo reported that 93% of Sunderland folk said the go-ahead should not have been given.
As if the common sense conclusion reached by Sunderland folk required any validation, the Newcastle Journal in their 'leader column' published the day following the high court decision said on page 10, 'Field Days - Young people need sport and leisure facilities - but is there really a need to cut down a forest to provide them? Villagers near Newbottle Wood, Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland, prevented that happening yesterday with a high court ruling. The long term solution? Find a site which is improved by becoming playing fields - there are plenty to choose from'.
The Newbottle Community's hunt to identify an appropriate 'brownfield' site continues.
<<<< Please Note :any mention of TWAG Action will be deleted from this site forthwith- can a representative please create a separate WikiPedia page for TWAG since this has now been deemed unsuitable for the existing page>>>>
Newbottle has one school , Newbottle Primary School which has more than 450 students from around the catchment area.
Famous People: none.....yet
