The strategy for sustainable growth in North Tyneside

The strategy for sustainable growth sets out:

  • The draft spatial development strategy (which helps guide decisions about how North Tyneside could grow),
  • Information about our the Borough's housing needs and future house building,
  • Support for a growing economy and continued regeneration of our town centres and communities.

We would welcome your feedback on the proposals.

Spatial Strategy and the Green Belt

The Spatial Strategy sets out the overall direction for areas expected to be protected from development, and those areas where growth is supported and encouraged.

North Tyneside's Green Belt forms an open area to the north of the Borough and plays an important role in preventing northern sprawl of the built up area of the Tyneside and preventing the merging of towns in south east Northumberland with the development in North Tyneside.

The green belt also includes hugely valuable resources for wildlife and residents as a place to visit, a place for farming, agriculture and other recreation that are important to the overall sustainability of North Tyneside and wellbeing of residents.

This Local Plan must identify changes to the existing Green Belt to enable enough homes to be provided to meet the needs of existing and future residents in North Tyneside. The initial findings of the North Tyneside Green Belt review have been drawn on to inform proposed changes to the Green Belt and enable selection of potentially sustainable and suitable locations for development.

What has been included in draft policies?

Existing Green Belt policy has been updated with the proposed Green Belt and new areas of Safeguarded Land defined on the Policies Map. Proposed policy identify a new extent for the Green Belt and Safeguarded Land, and promote positive use of the Green Bet as an area for nature improvement, biodiversity and recreation. Proposed policy includes seeking:

  • provision of new accessible green spaces as part of any proposals in the Green Belt
  • support nature improvements and improved connectivity for wildlife across the Green Bel
  • Identifying and area of safeguarded land at locations between the built up area and Green Belt, ensuring the Green Belt can be protected from development beyond the Local Plan period to 2042.

Meeting North Tyneside’s housing needs

Why do we need more homes?

  • While the Government sets a target for how many new homes we should build each year, there are also several local reasons why more homes are needed.
  • We're expecting around 20,000 more residents by 2042, so we need to plan ahead to meet that demand. (Visit ONS Sub National Population Projection 2022)
  • More people are living alone or in smaller family units. Even if our overall population stayed the same, we'd still need more homes to reflect these changing lifestyles.
  • As people live longer, there will be more older residents who may need homes that suit their needs whether that's downsizing or supported housing.
  • Lower birth rates mean there may be fewer children, but families will still need flexible and affordable housing in the right places.
  • If we don’t build enough homes, younger people may be priced out or forced to leave the area. By providing the right mix of housing, we help ensure they can live, work, and raise families here

The need for affordable homes

  • There are not enough affordable homes in North Tyneside. 4,000 families are waiting for affordable Council and housing association properties.
  • Affordable homes must be homes to rent or buy for less than the market value. They are usually made available to lower income residents that have a local connection to North Tyneside.
  • The Council and housing associations build affordable homes, but most are built by private housebuilders as part of larger housing schemes.

How many homes are needed?

  • The Government’s policy says North Tyneside needs 995 new homes every year, this includes both affordable and market housing.
  • This means the Borough needs to plan for around 18,440 new homes over the next 18 years.
  • Including existing sites like Murton and Killingworth Moor there are currently around 7,760 homes in our known housing supply.
  • This means the Local Plan will need to identify where about 10,680 additional homes could go.

Meeting the Borough's needs for growth

In August 2025 we asked for views on three broad options for where development could take place:

  • Making the most of land within the existing urban area
  • Creating a large new settlement
  • Allowing sustainable extensions to existing communities in the North West

Feedback from the last stage of consultation has helped shape our Initial Draft Local Plan. This consultation proposes focusing development within the urban area wherever possible, while still protecting important green spaces. However, urban land alone cannot meet all future needs. We would therefore like your views on several possible sites including some areas currently within the Green Belt.

Further detailed information about the approach to seeking sustainable delivery of possible areas of growth is available in the Possible Site Allocations project page:

  • Possible Site Allocations (URL Link to add)

Supporting a growing economy

About 10,000 new jobs have been created in North Tyneside in the last 10 years and more new jobs are expected.

We want to make sure there are enough good quality jobs for people now and in the future. The needs of businesses are always changing, and suitable land is needed for them to invest and grow.

What has been included in the draft policies?

  • Keeping our current employment land ready for new and growing businesses
  • Help new types of jobs grow in sectors like advanced manufacturing, health, and technology and help residents learn the right skills
  • Support improvements to our town centres and business parks to meet business’ needs
  • Support the tourism industry and development of more places for people to visit and stay in North Tyneside

Regenerating Town Centres and Communities

Our town centres and shopping areas are changing as more people shop online, but town centres are still important places at the heart of our communities. They still provide shops and services that help many residents meet their daily needs.

The Council already works to make our communities and town centres attractive and safe, and helps businesses invest and grow.

What has been included in the draft policies?

  • Help town centres diversify and be more attractive places to live, work and visit
  • Support transport investment that makes it easier to access town centres on foot, by wheeling, cycling or by public transport
  • Ensure small shopping areas form part of proposals for larger new neighbourhoods where needed
  • Continue to ensure retail development proposed outside our town centres does not negatively impact town centres

Getting around the website

All responses will be dealt with in accordance with our privacy statement which can be found here.

If you have any questions about this survey or need us to do anything differently to help you take part, including providing this information in another language or format, please contact planning.policy@northtyneside.gov.uk or call 0191 643 2310.

The strategy for sustainable growth sets out:

  • The draft spatial development strategy (which helps guide decisions about how North Tyneside could grow),
  • Information about our the Borough's housing needs and future house building,
  • Support for a growing economy and continued regeneration of our town centres and communities.

We would welcome your feedback on the proposals.

Spatial Strategy and the Green Belt

The Spatial Strategy sets out the overall direction for areas expected to be protected from development, and those areas where growth is supported and encouraged.

North Tyneside's Green Belt forms an open area to the north of the Borough and plays an important role in preventing northern sprawl of the built up area of the Tyneside and preventing the merging of towns in south east Northumberland with the development in North Tyneside.

The green belt also includes hugely valuable resources for wildlife and residents as a place to visit, a place for farming, agriculture and other recreation that are important to the overall sustainability of North Tyneside and wellbeing of residents.

This Local Plan must identify changes to the existing Green Belt to enable enough homes to be provided to meet the needs of existing and future residents in North Tyneside. The initial findings of the North Tyneside Green Belt review have been drawn on to inform proposed changes to the Green Belt and enable selection of potentially sustainable and suitable locations for development.

What has been included in draft policies?

Existing Green Belt policy has been updated with the proposed Green Belt and new areas of Safeguarded Land defined on the Policies Map. Proposed policy identify a new extent for the Green Belt and Safeguarded Land, and promote positive use of the Green Bet as an area for nature improvement, biodiversity and recreation. Proposed policy includes seeking:

  • provision of new accessible green spaces as part of any proposals in the Green Belt
  • support nature improvements and improved connectivity for wildlife across the Green Bel
  • Identifying and area of safeguarded land at locations between the built up area and Green Belt, ensuring the Green Belt can be protected from development beyond the Local Plan period to 2042.

Meeting North Tyneside’s housing needs

Why do we need more homes?

  • While the Government sets a target for how many new homes we should build each year, there are also several local reasons why more homes are needed.
  • We're expecting around 20,000 more residents by 2042, so we need to plan ahead to meet that demand. (Visit ONS Sub National Population Projection 2022)
  • More people are living alone or in smaller family units. Even if our overall population stayed the same, we'd still need more homes to reflect these changing lifestyles.
  • As people live longer, there will be more older residents who may need homes that suit their needs whether that's downsizing or supported housing.
  • Lower birth rates mean there may be fewer children, but families will still need flexible and affordable housing in the right places.
  • If we don’t build enough homes, younger people may be priced out or forced to leave the area. By providing the right mix of housing, we help ensure they can live, work, and raise families here

The need for affordable homes

  • There are not enough affordable homes in North Tyneside. 4,000 families are waiting for affordable Council and housing association properties.
  • Affordable homes must be homes to rent or buy for less than the market value. They are usually made available to lower income residents that have a local connection to North Tyneside.
  • The Council and housing associations build affordable homes, but most are built by private housebuilders as part of larger housing schemes.

How many homes are needed?

  • The Government’s policy says North Tyneside needs 995 new homes every year, this includes both affordable and market housing.
  • This means the Borough needs to plan for around 18,440 new homes over the next 18 years.
  • Including existing sites like Murton and Killingworth Moor there are currently around 7,760 homes in our known housing supply.
  • This means the Local Plan will need to identify where about 10,680 additional homes could go.

Meeting the Borough's needs for growth

In August 2025 we asked for views on three broad options for where development could take place:

  • Making the most of land within the existing urban area
  • Creating a large new settlement
  • Allowing sustainable extensions to existing communities in the North West

Feedback from the last stage of consultation has helped shape our Initial Draft Local Plan. This consultation proposes focusing development within the urban area wherever possible, while still protecting important green spaces. However, urban land alone cannot meet all future needs. We would therefore like your views on several possible sites including some areas currently within the Green Belt.

Further detailed information about the approach to seeking sustainable delivery of possible areas of growth is available in the Possible Site Allocations project page:

  • Possible Site Allocations (URL Link to add)

Supporting a growing economy

About 10,000 new jobs have been created in North Tyneside in the last 10 years and more new jobs are expected.

We want to make sure there are enough good quality jobs for people now and in the future. The needs of businesses are always changing, and suitable land is needed for them to invest and grow.

What has been included in the draft policies?

  • Keeping our current employment land ready for new and growing businesses
  • Help new types of jobs grow in sectors like advanced manufacturing, health, and technology and help residents learn the right skills
  • Support improvements to our town centres and business parks to meet business’ needs
  • Support the tourism industry and development of more places for people to visit and stay in North Tyneside

Regenerating Town Centres and Communities

Our town centres and shopping areas are changing as more people shop online, but town centres are still important places at the heart of our communities. They still provide shops and services that help many residents meet their daily needs.

The Council already works to make our communities and town centres attractive and safe, and helps businesses invest and grow.

What has been included in the draft policies?

  • Help town centres diversify and be more attractive places to live, work and visit
  • Support transport investment that makes it easier to access town centres on foot, by wheeling, cycling or by public transport
  • Ensure small shopping areas form part of proposals for larger new neighbourhoods where needed
  • Continue to ensure retail development proposed outside our town centres does not negatively impact town centres

Getting around the website

All responses will be dealt with in accordance with our privacy statement which can be found here.

If you have any questions about this survey or need us to do anything differently to help you take part, including providing this information in another language or format, please contact planning.policy@northtyneside.gov.uk or call 0191 643 2310.