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CONTRACT FIVE.. and beyond (By John Yarham)
The next plan, for the fifth contract, was the most intriguing, as the majority of it was never built due to the Government reducing house subsidies in 1927. Plan 2713 included the bungalow sites 93-98, which were built on the south side of Fernwood Avenue, between 7/5/27 and 27/9/27. Also sites 215-232, on the north side of Fernwood Avenue were built from 14/5/27 to 30/9/27. The houses were now being built to type 11a and 19a. Both were 1 reception and 3 bed, with different bathroom arrangements.
Included in the plan were sites 187-214, and 233/234. These ran along Rosewood from Beechwood, down Fernwood to Hollywood and back up Fernwood, and included (still) the double site on the northeastern corner of Fernwood and Rosewood Avenues. All were to the designs 11a and 19a. These were never built, and house building in the village ceased until 1935.
The new street layout on the estate was approved by the Gosforth Roads and Lighting Committee. (UD/GO/18/5). These would be Beechwood, Rosewood, and Fernwood Avenues.
Site plan as at c1928.
The above plan must have been drawn before the bowls pavilion had been built. The tennis courts were originally planned for north of Rosewood Avenue.
On the 1st of February 1928, at the Gosforth Building and Town Planning Committee (UD/GO/5/5), a site for a council estate was first mentioned to the east of the County rugby ground.
When the Garden Village estate was first constructed all builders traffic and supplies could only come in via Salters Bridge. This had ceased to be a main road bridge when the Brandlings diverted the Bedlington to Newcastle road via a new bridge called Haddricks Road Bridge in 1821. They had done this in order to sink their South Gosforth Colliery. The original pack horse bridge had most likely been built by the Bishop of Durham, as it lay on the route from Durham to his Estates in Bedlingtonshire. For further information on these estates see Boldon Book. At a later unidentified date the bridge had been widened to take cart traffic.
It was as a result of the difficulties of entering the estate by road that an application was made to Longbenton UDC to have an approach road built from the foot of Heathery Lane to Woodlea Gardens. This was turned down by Longbenton UDC on the 19th September 1928. The following month, on the 7th, the Council agreed to adopt the estate roads. However, not the carriage road from Dentmires Bridge to Salters Bridge.
The Planning Committee had before them Plan 2892 for a Bowls Pavilion for the Gosforth Garden Village Residents Association. This was approved on 7/11/28. This had been put in by Mr WC Layton of 58 Hollywood Avenue, and Mr WM McQueen of 60 Hollywood Avenue. On the 18th of October 1928, a proposal was made for an 18foot wide approach road to Salters Bridge prior to a 50 foot wide road being made. It was noted that Salters Bridge was not suitable for motor traffic. By 21st November 1928 various estimates were being drawn up for the making up of the estate roads. The Laycock Estate Company was asked on the 19th December 1928 to repair the Salters Bridge. This particular Company had bought, in 1852, various lands from the Brandling estate. These included the former Earl of Carlisle lands, the Low Gosforth Estate, and Three Mile Farm.
Plan 2917 was put in by the Secretary of the Gosforth Car Sheds Sports Club dated 6/2/29. He was Mr TW Lilley of 9 Rosewood Avenue. The plan was for a temporary wooded sports hut in the sports fields behind the isolation hospital.
The Gosforth Roads and Lighting Committee (UD/GO/18/6) were told by the Post Office, on the 9th March 1929, that the road from Salters Bridge in to the Estate was too dangerous for them to use. The Committee was later told on the 18th November 1929 that Salters Bridge was subject to the Bridges Act 1929. In December they were told that Northumberland County Council would take over the bridge on the 1st January 1930.
On the 19th of June 1929 the Planning Committee approved an extension to the Bowls Pavilion in Plan 2953.
Roads and Lighting were told, on the 23rd April 1930, of a proposal to extend Hollywood Avenue. It would be 50 feet wide.
On the 7th January 1931, plan 3111 for a shop and house on Hollywood Avenue (to the east of the middle alleyway through the proposed shops), was before the Planning Committee from Mrs Blanche Hooper.
On the 21st January 1931 Roads and Lighting were told that Salters Bridge had been listed as an ancient monument. The Council was told that a new road and bridge was to be built linking Hollywood Avenue to the Killingworth Road. (This proposal was only abandoned in the 1970`s). On the 21st October 1931 the Council proposed that the road from Salters Bridge to the foot of Hollywood Avenue would be rebuilt at a width of 20 feet. This width was reduced to 10 feet 6 inches. It was at this same meeting that someone called Sanderson proposed a garage next to the Stadium at the top of the present Hollywood Avenue.
The Gosforth Planning Committee (UD/GO/5/6) had before them on the 1st June 1932 plan 3243 for alterations at the stadium to enable a greyhound track to be built. At this same meeting the Town Planning Scheme of 1919 was declared "De Novo", ie abandoned. It was this scheme that had proposed a huge circle from which the Garden Village could have been accessed via Briarwood Avenue, hence its width.
The Gosforth Roads Committee (UD/GO/18/7) was told on the 21st September 1932 that work had started on the Hollywood Avenue extension to Salters Bridge. It took one month at a cost of £508.
The Planning Committee was told on the 7th June 1933 that the Hollywood Avenue extension to the North Road would run across the two best holes of the Gosforth Golf Club.
On the 7th February 1934 the garage at the top of Hollywood Avenue was subject to plan 3483 for Mr. Sunley, of Alwinton Avenue. This was approved a week later on the 14th. It had to be set back to a new building line east of North Road, to accommodate the widening of North Road. The builder of the garage seemed to be the Lambhill Ironworks. Adjacent to the garage was shown the footpath next to the railway from the Garden Village, and the private road to the villas.
Summerfields "We Never Closed" garage was approved on appeal. This plan (3721) had been rejected because of the existence of Sunleys garage at the top of Hollywood Avenue. It was built mainly of wood. I believe the slogan "We Never Closed" came about during the Second World War years. Its successor is the current BP outlet.
The Planning Committee was told that that part of the Three Mile Bridge Farm consisting of 37.241 acres still owned by the Laycock estate would be subject to an offer from the Council of £10,315.
This land would be used for housing and a cemetery. On the 18th of September 1935 the layout of the new estate, not including the area of the Halls estate already under construction, was as follows:
Site 1. Hollywood Avenue 100 houses 6.556 acres.
Site 2 Harewood Road 18 houses 1.163 acres.
Site 3 Broadway East 110 houses 7.774 acres
Cemetery (5 acres immediately) 9.885 acres
Allotments 4.333 acres.
Recreation 1. Hartford/Harewood 4.865 acres.
Recreation 2. Between GGV Estate & Cemetery 1.446 acres.
Shops 1.122 acres.
Only parts of the above became reality.
On the 2nd October 1935 FW Hindmarsh, of Lyndhurst, Fawdon, put in plan 3732 for 5 pairs of semi detached houses on Fernwood Avenue, 2 pairs of semi detached houses on the north side of Hollywood Avenue. One pair on the north side of Hollywood Avenue was later withdrawn. The remainder of the plan was approved 9/10/35. The houses were of 2 reception and 3 bed and scullery, with bays to front and rear and french door to rear room. This plan was approved 9/10/35. On the 20th May 1936, a shop and house (plan 3831) was approved, on the site of the withdrawn pair of semis, on the north side of Hollywood Avenue.
On the 1st April 1936 the Council put in four planning applications to itself for 96 houses on and off Hollywood Avenue. On the 6th May 1936 the Council sold 1¼ acres to the Aged Miners Association.
At the end of May, on the 20th, Hindmarsh put in Plan 3831 for a house and shop on the north side of Hollywood Avenue. Although passed 20/5/36, this was not built. All these applications by Hindmarsh brought forth a proposal from the LNER (Gosforth) Garden Village Ltd. This was plan 3840 for houses on Fernwood and Rosewood Avenues. The Rosewood/Fernwood junction had now been removed, and replaced by a 6foot pathway, with a very small turning circle at the end of Rosewood. This was on the 1st of June. A second plan in the same envelope showed a 15foot pathway.
On the same date plan 3832 was put in by Hindmarsh for 7 semis on Fernwood and 3 semis on Rosewood. This was rejected, following a petition from residents on Hollywood Avenue. These residents, from numbers 41-45 and 49-55, where at least one resident is still living, were concerned that after heavy rain their back gardens flooded. Interestingly, since the concreting over of the road a few years later, the road has always flooded at the front of numbers 37-41. Despite new gulleys being put in in recent years, the drains have never coped with heavy rain. Thus the sandbags!
Although Brammell Booth`s price was lower I believe that Hindmarsh won the contract to build the council estate.
On the 7th October 1936 LNER (Gosforth) Garden Village Ltd. put in plan 3887 for 10 semis on Fernwood and 1 bungalow on Rosewood. On the plan this was actually 7 pairs on the east side of Fernwood, with 3 pairs set back on Rosewood and the bungalow on Rosewood Avenue. Approved 7/10/36. However the bungalow was not built to this plan, see 4011.
On the 4th November 1936, in plan 3900, 20 houses were approved for the Aged Miners Association. At the same meeting the Three Mile Bridge Hotel was approved for the site of the old farm, for Deuchars. Despite many alterations since, some of the steading walls still exist.
Hindmarsh put in plan 3904 for a bungalow on the east side of Fernwood, and plan 3905 for 7 semis on Fernwood and 3 semis on Rosewood. On Fernwood the area of land for which 6 pairs of semis had originally been planned now had 7 pairs with outhouses. These plans were approved on 11/11/36. Hindmarsh was putting in the planning applications based on drawings by the LNER. The Secretary of the LNER (Gosforth) Garden Village Ltd was Mr H Denton.
The Gosforth Roads Committee (UD/GO/18/8) proposed on the 19th June 1935 that they should concrete over Hollywood Avenue and Briarwood Avenue. The old stone from Hollywood Avenue to be laid on that part of the Bridle Path that lay within Gosforth, it was decided on the 20th November 1935.
The Roads Committee was told on the 15th January 1936 that the trees being planted on Hollywood Avenue would cost 14/3 each. (about 72 pence each). I shall refrain from comment on the current status of these trees. On the 21st October there was another proposal to adopt the roads in the Garden Village. Dorin was the contractor laying the concrete roads.
On the 15th September, a Mr Russell Henderson of 8 Briarwood Avenue, requested a bus service in to the Garden Village. Although United passed the top of the street, minimum fares were in operation. The nearest Newcastle Corporation Blue Bus Service was a commuter express from Henry Street, withdrawn during the War.
A number of people were now putting bay windows on to their properties such as 114/116 Hollywood Avenue. On the 5th of May 1937 there was a rash of plans from Hindmarsh.
Plan 3983 6 semi detached houses on south side of Hollywood Avenue. Approved 11/5/37
Plan 3984 6 semi detached houses on south side of Hollywood Avenue, on shops site. One pair to the east of the alleyway was not actually built. Approved 11/5/37.
Plan 3985 4 semi detached houses on Briarwood Avenue. Approved 11/5/37.
Plan 3987 Dutch bungalow on site of current transformer station, Rosewood Av.-rejected.
Plan 4011 bungalow on Rosewood Avenue. Approved 21/7/37. This was drawn by F Westgarth of Denton Burn in July 1936.
Garages were now being planned for construction with some of the properties.
By September 1937 hedges were being planted on Hollywood Avenue. (Opposite the cemetery?) These came from Lawrensons Nurseries. It was at this time (1/9/37) that the electricity sub station on Rosewood Avenue was applied for in plan 4027. The bay windows were now being applied for thick and fast, with a number of familiar names appearing on the applications, ie Rothwell at 43 Hollywood Avenue along with many others in the same road. On the 3rd of November 1937, the name Shields Grove was approved for the Aged Miners Homes.
By the 8th of January 1938, the council estate was being occupied.
In June 1938, the back lane from Fernwood Avenue to Rosewood Avenue was causing unidentified problems. On the 15th June 1938 the Gosforth roads and Lighting Committee recommended that a bus service should be introduced to the Garden Village. This followed a petition from the Garden Village. With 194 houses called on, 171 yes, 22 no, 4 neutral, 12 not in. (Not my mathematics!).
On the 20th September 1938 an improvement to the junction of Hollywood Avenue with the North Road was proposed. Work on this was delayed due to the construction of air raid shelters.
On the 1st of February 1939 plans for the Drill Hall on the North Road were approved. This was demolished in 2002. Meanwhile, a lease of the recreation ground behind Harewood was granted to the War Office for use as an anti aircraft gun site.
On the 17th May 1939 the Garden Village roads were finally and eventually adopted. The Gosforth Garden Village Residents Association was told that when Woodlea had been made up the Council would then adopt it. On the 19th July 1939 Longbenton UDC was advised of the dangerous condition of the lane leading to Salters Bridge on their side of the bridge.
On the 7th June 1939 plan 4327, for two houses and shop, was before the Planning Committee for Hindmarsh. This was on the south side of Hollywood Avenue. This was approved by the full Council on the 14th. Under wartime regulations, introduced in September 1939, any house that had its roof on could be completed. Building on any others was abandoned for the duration. Some houses on Hollywood Avenue were only occupied in 1940.
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