Ambition for the North West is part of North Tyneside Council’s Our North Tyneside Plan, which has brought forward Borough-wide regeneration schemes including Ambition for North Shields and Ambition for Wallsend.
Ambition for the North West projects include improvements to Killingworth Lakeside Park, new village plans, enhancing the waggonways network, transport plans and inner area plans.
Killingworth Lakeside Park
Improvement plans for Killingworth Lakeside Park have been revealed, with the public invited to have their say on its future.
People can head to the Our North Tyneside Voice website to find artists’ impressions, a detailed map of the plans, and a survey on the proposed improvements.
The vision is to transform Killingworth Lakeside Park into a vibrant, welcoming, and ecology-friendly destination for play, relaxation, and connecting with nature.
Improvements will include new play equipment, better walking and cycling routes, richer biodiversity, and a proposed café area with toilets.
Village plans
The Council is working with residents on village plans for Killingworth, Annitsford, Dudley, Fordley, Camperdown, Burradon, Wideopen and Seaton Burn.
One hundred people attended consultation events across the North West of the Borough in summer 2024. People were asked about the look and feel of their village, community activities, services and facilities. Another 140 people completed an online survey.
New village plans will be published in October 2025. Village plan projects include proposals for:
Village identities: Celebrate each village’s identity and maintain their open spaces, highways, footpaths and cycleways with new signage, landscaping including planting and trees, street furniture, road markings, and opportunities for public art at the main entrances of each village.
Pride of place: Enhance environmental services to support housing estates, with a focus on weed removal and tackling litter. Aiming to keep standards high, make improvements, and create a sense of ownership and pride.
Fryer’s Millennium Green: Refresh Fryer's Millennium Green in Burradon, improving the look, usefulness, and accessibility of this green space for the community.
Keegan Park: Transform Keegan Park in Killingworth into a safe and well-maintained space, reducing anti-social behaviour by creating a welcoming environment that can be used more by the community.
Enhancing adult education offer: The North West of North Tyneside is home to a diverse population with varying educational and vocational needs. This project aims to expand adult learning opportunities, providing residents with the skills and qualifications they need to improve their employment prospects, engage in lifelong learning, and contribute to the local economy.
Community partnership activities: Sustain and enhance the existing community partnership activities in the North West of North Tyneside, with stronger community ties and more local people getting involved.
Raising awareness of activities on offer: Promote what is happening in the local area and help residents access community and leisure activities.
Annitsford Pond: Support for the Friends of Annitsford Pond group, to create safe and accessible routes for walking and enjoying the nature reserve.
Burradon community facilities: Explore how existing community facilities within Burradon can be used to host a wider range of activities.
Seaton Burn community facilities: Support new and existing community groups in Seaton Burn.
Weetslade employment site: North Tyneside Council is working with two developers with proposals for the eastern side of Indigo Park, as part of the wider Weetslade employment site.
Annitsford Farm: Annitsford Farm, on the outskirts of Annitsford village, presents an opportunity for residential development that meets the local community’s needs while respecting the rural character of the area. The project seeks to support an appropriate housing development that fits well with existing infrastructure, and enhances the surrounding environment.
Waste recycling: Help our communities in the North West of the Borough to easily access waste services, including recycling facilities and bulky waste, with options for better and more convenient access to these services.
Access to finance: Work with banks and local community groups to explore the delivery of banking services in the villages.
Waggonways
The waggonways are a much-valued resource for the entire Borough. Spreading out from the former mines at Seaton Burn towards Earsdon, the original routes south to the river have been successfully developed into popular walking and cycling routes.
It is proposed to develop the network between Seaton Burn and Camperdown, focusing on heritage, biodiversity, and active travel.
The refresh of the North West waggonway network will include:
- Improved surfaces and drainage to make the routes more accessible
- Improved connections from nearby villages
- New signage and information boards
- Information on how the waggonways connect to each other and to local visitor attractions and points of interest
- Improvements to the landscape to attract wildlife
- New wetland woodland and grassland habitats
- Creation of heritage and nature trails
- New seating areas.
Transport plans
As part of our Transport Strategy for the North West of the Borough we will work with transport operators, the voluntary sector and other partners on potential improvements to public transport links. We will work with the North East Combined Authority on the feasibility of a new station on the East Coast Main Line in the Killingworth area, improve active travel routes and explore options for cleaner and shared vehicles.
Inner area plans
The North West Inner Area Plan will set out a framework for investment to create vibrant and attractive places to live that are well maintained and have good access to services.
Plans will be prepared for the following areas:
- Forest Hall
- West Moor
- Benton
- Longbenton
- Palmersville
- Holystone.
Initial projects have been identified which will be expanded on following feedback from residents when we consult on the plans in 2025.