Securing the future of Newcastle’s parks, allotments and green spaces

Urban Green Newcastle launch event at Wylam Brewery in Exhibition Park (The Bigger Picture)

Funding for parks, allotments and green spaces has decreased significantly in recent years. In Newcastle upon Tyne, spending reduced by a huge 90% in just seven years, posing a serious threat to the long-term future of the city’s open spaces. Thankfully, Newcastle City Council saw the warning signs and took significant action to prevent the city’s green spaces suffering further decline. Working in partnership with the National Trust and National Lottery Heritage Fund, Newcastle City Council began an extensive consultation exercise on the future of the city’s parks and allotments.
The results led to the development of an outline business plan for a new independent charity, Urban Green Newcastle, to manage, maintain, restore, develop and protect the city’s parks and allotments; one that would operate completely separate from the council and work to ensure Newcastle’s open spaces could be enjoyed by future generations to come.
Find out more about the charity and its work from CEO James Cross here