Newcastle’s new Labour leader has pledged to review plans to pave over Hippy Green and wants to keep grass on the popular city centre square.
City council bosses revealed plans last month for a major overhaul of Old Eldon Square, as part of a wider £50m revamp of the city centre. Concept designs showed how the area’s four turf sections could be entirely removed, to be replaced by new paving, seats, fountains, and planters surrounding the war memorial instead – with local authority officials saying that the grass “significantly restricts” how the space can be used.
But those plans could soon be shelved, after new Labour chief Nick Kemp signalled his desire to protect the green space. Coun Kemp, who last month won the contest to replace the outgoing Nick Forbes, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I am very keen that if I am the council leader in May we would start with a refreshed view of what we can do in Old Eldon Square, which retains the provision for our services personnel and is something that the people of the city can enjoy. And that does include safe green space, in my mind.”
The 1800s square was once the gardens of a Georgian terrace, most of which was demolished in the 1970s to make way for the Eldon Square shopping centre. It later became a well-known gathering point for goths and, in more recent years, has been used to host the Screen on the Green film showings.
Coun Kemp was elected as leader of the city’s Labour group in March, but his long-term rival Coun Forbes remains as leader of the city council until the end of his term of office in May. The Byker councillor is expected to formally take over as council leader at the end of May, though he must be re-elected by Labour colleagues at the group’s annual general meeting before then and could yet have to navigate another leadership contest – having only narrowly beaten Heaton councillor Clare Penny-Evans last month.
The redesign of Old Eldon Square was part of a successful council bid for Levelling Up funding last year alongside the pedestrianisation of Blackett Street, a contentious proposal that is set to go to a public inquiry amid opposition from bus companies.
After making a pledge to review the plans for the square in Labour’s local elections manifesto, Coun Kemp added: “It is an incredibly important city centre asset. It is a place of respite for people, it is a green space in the city centre that is largely concrete, and it is a place that has huge emotive ties for our veterans.
“My understanding of the Levelling Up bid is that it is about renovation and change and transformation for the city centre. My sense is that it is time to have a look at what the bid actually contains, see what the flexibility is.
“I feel that the retention of a grassed area in the city centre is really important. It is an area for people who don’t potentially have the cash to spend widely in the city centre but want to come and enjoy themselves, it is a place where families can come.
“I am personally of the view that it needs to be reviewed. We have made a clear statement in the manifesto, I know my ward colleagues in Monument are concerned. They are listening to residents and there has been a lot of feedback saying they are not entirely in favour of the plans.”
On the subject of banning vehicles from the Blackett Street bus route, Coun Kemp said that bus passengers needed reassurances that there will be “sensible alternatives that are as easy and accessible and usable as what they currently have”.
