Northumberland Council to spend £2.7m regeneration cash

Jul 4 2009 by David Black, The Journal

NORTHUMBERLAND’S new super council is preparing to start spending £2.7m of Government funding on “pump priming” key sites earmarked for a major housing-led regeneration programme.

South East Northumberland was designated an official Growth Point a year ago as part of a Government initiative involving 6,300 new homes in the county by 2017.

Blyth Estuary, the Ellington/Lynemouth area, the former St George’s Hospital in Morpeth, Cambois, East Ashington and south west Cramlington have been earmarked as the six areas to benefit from the programme, which aims to deliver regeneration and increased affordable housing.

Now Northumberland has been awarded a £2.69m Growth Fund by the Government to kick start the process up to 2011, and this week county councillors will decide how to start spending the allocation.

Planning officers say current market conditions mean accelerated housing development will not be possible over the next two years – so the initial priority is to understand the aims of potential developers and make sure that the six growth areas are ‘development ready’ for an upturn in the economy. A report to county councillors on Tuesday says the Government funding will be directed at projects which will unlock or accelerate housing development.