NEWS GUARDIAN (Whitley Bay, UK) 24 March 08 Saving the great crested newts (Liam Thompson)
Great Crested Newts could be saved in the borough as a new habitat is to be constructed.
The new habitat, between the top of Hadrian Park and the Rising Sun, has been secured as part of planning permission given to business units on Holystone roundabout last week by North Tyneside Council's planning committee.
New single storey units for small and start-up businesses will be built on land adjacent to Edmund Road in Holystone.
The new development will be on the border of protected land which runs all the way down through the Rising Sun Park.
Great Crested Newts have previously used the site as a habitat, but ponds at Holystone have since permanently dried up.
Chief planning officer Peter Brown said: "In terms of mitigation, biodiversity measures for the great crested newt have to be carried out in the vicinity of the site."
The committee decided that the applicant should construct a new wetland for the newts at the other end of the protected land at the Swallows, Hadrian park.
Mr Brown added: "We've been working on this scheme for six months in consultation with Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
"Conservation will be part of the legal agreement along with a £30,000 donation for signalling and additional signage."
Saving the great crested newts