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Ive done the same _pauls........my update was yesterday or next week. Looks like next week then. I would like to see a business hub with units for people/businesses to go into. I would also expect to see it offering training and retraining not least for the potential new jobs coming to Cambois.

Yes it's an option in the privacy menu when creating an album.

Thanks Malcolm - my point about the lack of Pub and sporting facilities was just that now we seem to be back to just housing and a supermarket of similar size and character to the ones we already have (at least in terms of committed development). I thought this was roundly rejected by the people of the town in the initial consultation. I certainly think the idea of leisure facilities and a business/community hub would be much better than a load of small retail units that either stand empty or pop us as vape shops for 6 months and then shut down again, however as far as I can see the only commitment is to Aldi and new retail units and flats at the market place. I have requested the council share with us an updated plan in terms of exactly what is in scope for Phases 1 and 2 (plus the latest thinking on timings) versus what is presumably aspiration for Phases 3 and beyond, and an idea of what the scale of the investment is. I was told back in September that we'd bid for some of the funding available from the Get Britain Building scheme and a verdict should be due in January, so it seems like the budget keeps growing but the ambition keep shrinking.

I take your points _pauls and agree in most part. The difference this time is that NCC and the LEP have actually signed off the money for it so it will start. And yes it has little reflection to the original scheme and given recent events Im not too sure Im unhappy about it. Personally I believe we need to reinvent our Town in a dynamic, bespoke and forward thinking way, not just to copy what's available in other nearby towns. Thats what's going to result in footfall and that will mean businesses will inevitably follow.

In the 1980’s Stephen Martin wrote 7 booklets that together formed the “Bedlington Villages History Series” The titles are – Bedlington, Sleekburn, Stakeford & Bomarsund, West Sleekburn, Choppington, Barrington, Netherton. (Perhaps there is also one on Cambois?) Unfortunately I only have 3 of them – Bedlington, Netherton and “Bomarsund & Stakeford” I think it is a good idea to open an album on the Doctor Pit and Rows. There have been lots of photos posted in the history forum over the years and it would great to see them in an album. I have quite a few so as soon as the album is open I will post them.

Thanks Malcolm - you beat me to it. Still no sign of the InvestingInBedlington.co.uk website being updated which is odd given its intended purpose of keeping us up to date on the project. It does look like the scheme is regressing though - just Aldi and some new flats and a couple of retail units. The family-oriented pub in the initial plans seems to be long gone and the promised leisure facilities from September's update relegated to a possible future phase (phase 3 or beyond presumably). Still at least it looks like we might finally see some bricks rising above the ground at some point this year which is better than what we've had for the past 6 years and counting. That said we have had numerous such statements over those years promising imminent building work so here's hoping this isn't yet another false dawn.