Newbiggin Life News

Newbiggin Reborn

	Who knew LIFE could be so good! Probably not very many people - myself included – if we had been completely honest with ourselves when we set off down the path of the Newbiggin LIFE initiative three years ago, writes Wansbeck Council Chief Executive Bob Stephenson. [more]

	Pioneering centre opens in Newbiggin Alexandra Court comprises 28, single person, semi detached cottage style homes in which the young people will, with the help of 24 hour support, be encouraged to live as independently as possible. [more]

	Why not shop Local First? A grant scheme is being planned which will help local businesses in Newbiggin to spruce up their shop or office fronts. Details of the Wansbeck Council backed Local First initiative are still being drawn up but it is hoped the project will go live in April. [more]

	Flower Power! The award winning Newbiggin in Bloom Association is planning this year’s eye catching displays and is seeking volunteers to make the village a blaze of colour this summer. “We are constantly looking for volunteers, funders and sponsorship and would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in getting involved,” said Secretary, Lorna Anderson. [more]

	Achievements speak for themselves! That’s the view of everyone associated with LIFE as it approaches the third anniversary of its launch as a groundbreaking initiative to kick-start a programme of regeneration and revitalisation in the village. Since then a multi-million pound investment package has been secured for Newbiggin, including the £10m Defra grant for the Bay project. [more]

	More new homes for sale or rent Providing new homes for sale or rent has been one of the cornerstones of the early success of the Newbiggin LIFE initiative. Villagers will recall that Grainger Homes’ Woodhorn Farm estate was the first new private homes’ development Newbiggin for more than two decades. [more]

	Busy times for Heritage volunteers Heritage Partnership volunteers are already gearing up for a busy summer with the bay restoration and beach recharge expected to attract many more visitors to Newbiggin. [more]

	New team on the beat As part of Northumbria Police’s modernisation and in response to local views, there is to be an increase in the number of community support officers (CSOs) in Newbiggin. [more]

	Rapid responses from LIFE team An important aspect of the success of Newbiggin LIFE – which has become a role model for another initiative in East Ashington and ultimately the remainder of Wansbeck – has been the decision to base a multi-task service delivery team in the village. [more]

	Woodhorn Road homes Planning permission has just been granted for the second phase of a £5m housing development at Woodhorn Road, Newbiggin. The Council is making land it owns at the former Colliery Estate where properties have been demolished, available for the construction of 48 homes for rent, shared ownership or outright sale. [more]

	Couple can become icons Newbiggin should get its first sighting of the Sean Henry sculpture Couple in the middle of July when it arrives to be put in position on the new breakwater. The two five metre tall bronze figures of a man and a woman have been commisisoned by INSPIRE, the South East Northumberland public art and design initiative, and created by the 41-year-old London-based, internationally renowned artist. [more]

	Keeping people posted A public exhibition is to be staged at Newbiggin Sports and Community Centre between 10.30am and 7.30pm, Tuesday 13th March, at which representatives from the council, the contractor and the supervising consultant engineers will be on hand to talk with visitors and explain the process. [more]

	Questions & Answers Why are the works necessary? The bay has suffered from the effects of ongoing erosion through historical lowering of the seabed thought to be the result of mining subsidence. This has resulted in deeper waves entering the bay which over time has removed much of the sand within it allowing erosion of the clay layers underneath the sand. [more]

	The summer of 2007 Promises to be a one to remember in Newbiggin, with the construction of the new breakwater, the restoration of the village’s once popular beach, improved seafront amenities and the arrival of what may well be the furthest offshore sculpture around Britain’s waters. [more]

	Bay watch exhibitions Two events are shortly being held to give local people the chance to find out more about the Bay works, as well as taking a look back at the regeneration success of the Newbiggin LIFE initiative. [more]

	Happy days Do you remember when Newbiggin beach looked like this. If you do we want to share your memories and family photographs by printing some of the best of them in the next edition of the Newbiggin LIFE newsletter. [more]

Visit the official web site at www.newbigginreborn.co.uk

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