4.33.1 The North Tyneside Green Belt was designated in 1963 by Amendment No. 16 to the County Development Plan. The Green Belt has remained largely intact for nearly 30 years and still continues to function well in relation to the original strategic aims of protecting the countryside in the Eastern Tyne Valley and to the north-west of Tyneside from isolated and sporadic development. It is also intended to check any substantial expansion of the built-up area of the Tyneside conurbation and to prevent neighbouring settlements from merging with one another, thus retaining their individual identities.

4.33.1 The North Tyneside Green Belt was designated in 1963 by Amendment No. 16 to the County Development Plan. The Green Belt has remained largely intact for nearly 30 years and still continues to function well in relation to the original strategic aims of protecting the countryside in the Eastern Tyne Valley and to the north-west of Tyneside from isolated and sporadic development. It is also intended to check any substantial expansion of the built-up area of the Tyneside conurbation and to prevent neighbouring settlements from merging with one another, thus retaining their individual identities.

4.33.2 The essential characteristic of Green Belt designation is its permanence and Central Government advice is that alterations should only be made in exceptional circumstances. The Council considers, however, that after 30 years it is appropriate to reassess the detail of the Green Belt boundary around settlements in order that a modified Green Belt can be established which can be protected over a further lengthy period of time. The preparation, for the first time, of a Local Plan covering the whole of the Borough is an appropriate context within to undertake this assessment.

4.33.3 A series of amendments to the boundaries of the Green Belt were proposed in 1994 in the Deposit Local Plan and have been the subject of public consultation and representation including examination at the Local Plan Inquiry in 1998. The adopted Local Plan has incorporated the approved amendments and shows the new boundaries of the Green Belt and also at Newcastle International Airport.