Blue House roundabout moor plans 'to be redesigned'

The Blue House roundabout, on the edge of Gosforth in Newcastle, is unsafe and congested and has to be changed, the council says

Plans to expand a roundabout on to moorland in Newcastle will be redesigned, the council has said.

Newcastle City Council was considering enlarging the Blue House roundabout near Gosforth, which would involve laying road on two surrounding moors.

About 2,000 people attended a protest rally on Sunday against the plans, which they described as "overkill".

The council said it would "review alternative proposals" before submitting its final proposal.

Newcastle City Councillor Ged Bell said: "People have come together to express their concerns and there's been significant public opposition to our outline designs.

"Alternative approaches to making improvements will require a willingness to work together from all parties."

A Newcastle Cycling Campaign member made a composite of a map and the council plan to show the scale of the original proposal

The council said the roundabout was the worst in the city for causing injuries and it had a responsibility to make it safer.

Peter MacDonald, of community group SPACE for Gosforth, said: "The news that they are proposing to form a working group of stakeholders and community groups to work with them is exactly what many of us have campaigned for.

"We'd like to thank the council for listening, considering the feedback and for proposing an alternative way forward."