Protest to be held in Felton as community fights to keep garages

The event has been organised in Felton following the recent approval of Northumberland County Council plans to convert community garages into four accessible bungalows off Mouldshaugh Lane.

Felton Parish Council and a number of residents had objected with concerns that it would impact on social interaction in a tight-knit community, likening it to an ‘ informal Men’s Shed space’.

A spokesperson for Felton Parish Council explained: “The garages are not underused.

“The garages are an important amenity for our villagers and in some cases have been used by multiple generations of the same family.

“Some garages are used to store cars, and others, like garages at many residential properties, are used to store gardening equipment, camping equipment and tools for use on the nearby allotments. Some are used as workshops.

“The garages form a true community space, where residents can meet and chat, and can provide support to each other. They are a real hub of activity and are important to the wellbeing of residents and the vitality of the village.

“We already have a severe parking problem in Felton and there is a waiting list for garages. Nearby housing estates – Davisons Avenue, Barnes Road, The Oval and South View – were designed and built without garages or driveways.”

The protest is being held on Saturday, March 18 at 1pm at the garages.

A poster advertising the event states: ‘The garages are an important amenity for the village – once gone, we will never get these back.

‘Please come along and help us to show how valued the garages are.’

Northumberland County Council plans to build four two-bedroom bungalows.

It says the scheme will allow residents to down-size from larger properties but who want to stay in the village and live independently.

Zero carbon technologies will be used to power the new homes.

The council has been working with North East based developer HUSK to develop the bungalows, using a patented, cost-effective construction method in which the garage roofs are removed, and the brick walls are retained.

Partial funding has been secured from Homes England.