Northumberland
Main towns: The county towns of Morpeth and Alnwick, and the other principal towns of the county all have populations of less than 35,000
Demographics: The County of Northumberland is situated in the far north-east of England, bordering Scotland. It is the sixth largest county in England, with a land area of 500,000 hectares.
The age profile of the County is similar to the national pattern. The black and ethnic minority population accounts for 0.97 per cent of the county’s population, half of whom live in the south east corner. The demographic profile of the county is changing as a result of migrant workers moving into the area.
Northumberland’s economy was traditionally based on coal mining and agriculture. Almost three quarters of the county’s extensive land area is used for agriculture and forestry, but this generates only 2.3 per cent of all employment. From a peak of 30,000 miners in the late 1950s, deep coal mining has ended. The decline of this industry has brought with it economic and social problems.
Only four private sector companies employ over 500 staff. Businesses within the County tend to be small - 82 per cent employ ten people or less. Public services, principally health and local government, provide over one third of jobs in the county.
Population: Northumberland is the sixth largest English county, but it has one of the lowest populations with just over 311,300 residents. Over half live within less than 5 per cent of the land area.
The urban concentration is in the south east corner, with very low population density in the rural north and west. The areas of Blyth Valley and Wansbeck have a population density of 2,708 people per square mile; the remainder of the county (accounting for 95 per cent of the land area) has a density of only 89 people per square mile.
Places of Interest: The quality of Northumberland’s environment is renowned. Many of the most outstanding parts of the landscape, including the Cheviot Hills, North Pennines and North Northumberland Coast already enjoy national protected status as the National Park and two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Numerous cultural and natural assets are also recognised, including the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site.
House/Flat Prices: The average property price in Northumberland today is £240,000. The average price five years ago, in 2004, was £176,400.
Planning issues: Ten giant wind turbines on moorland in Northumberland were approved by the Government in February 2009.
Green power company Ridgewind Ltd was granted permission to build the 125m-high structures at Wandylaw near Chathill.
The appeal ruled against Berwick Borough Council's refusal of planning permission for the wind farm. The decision came just six months after Government ministers also granted approval for npower to erect 18 turbines at nearby Middlemoor.
Waste management firm Sita UK has lodged a planning application with Northumberland County Council to delay the end date for landfilling within the boundaries of the Seghill site.
The current planning permission for the existing site runs out at the end of 2009 and Sita are applying for this to be changed so that it lasts until June 30, 2012.