Developer refusing to change plans as trees face axe for housing scheme

Campaigners battling to save trees set to be felled to make way for a major South Tyneside housing scheme have been told by developers, 'We will not change our plans'.

- by Gareth Crickmer

Construction firm Avant Homes hit back after protesters gathered to condemn its proposal for the redevelopment of South Tyneside College’s Westoe campus.

In a combative statement, it said it had been granted planning permission to build 260 properties on the 9.3-hectare site - and had no intention of backtracking.

Avant spoke out after opponents met at the college’s main entrance in St George’s Avenue to rally support against a plan which will see the removal of 143 mature trees.

They are set to go when the college moves to a new multi-million-pound hub a mile away in South Shields town centre in 2027.

Petitions totalling almost 5,000 signatures failed to stop Avant getting the green light to build from South Tyneside Council earlier this year.