Protecting our Open Spaces

Over hundreds of years the Freemen of Newcastle have vigorously guarded the open space of the Town Moors ensuring the right of air and exercise for the residents of Newcastle; the Town Moor Act 1988 enshrines the rights of the Freemen to graze cattle on the Moors thus protecting the open space. A recent study indicated that residential green space may be beneficial for the intellectual and the behavioural development of children living in urban areas, which supports our belief that having access to the green open space of the Moors has significant physical and mental health benefits. There are many pressures on this space ranging from groups advocating things such as housing, car parks, commercial development or a City forest. We do not sit on our laurels looking back at what we have achieved, we continue to protect the open space whilst maintaining the Moors and the many gated accesses to the Moors and providing first class allotments, also protecting the environment, we are always looking forward. With this in mind, we recognise the pressures on the City Council to deliver their environmental responsibilities and the importance of the carbon footprint of the City, which is why we are working very closely with the Council and City officers to substantially increase the tree population within the City and in particular on the Town Moors. Within a small working group chaired by Councillor Ged Bell, Cabinet member for Employment and Culture, we have identified many areas on the periphery of the Town Moors that will benefit from a program of tree planting which is in line with the City Council’s tree strategy. This is a long-term ambition that will see many hundreds of extra trees planted over the coming years. One of the first is on Nuns Moor where up to 100 trees will be planted in partnership with the charity Walking with the Wounded and the City Council. The program of tree planting is being sensitively developed to ensure that the open space and vista of the Town Moors are protected. This is just one area where we are working closely with the City Council to implement our joint vision for the Town Moors and the City, a developing relationship of which we are immensely proud. All that we do is facilitated by the support of the 28 active companies through your Stewards at Guild for which you should be rightly proud.

Councillor Ged Bell