Rowlands Gill, Newcastle upon Tyne

Post war housing at Rowland Gill, Newcastle. Photo: © CPRE

Low-density
Population: 5,500
Low density: 10 – 20 dwellings per hectare

Location
Rowlands Gill is a large village about ten miles outside of Newcastle city centre and is widely dispersed. It is situated in the Derwent Valley which is popular for cycling and walking. Outside the village centre there are very few flats or terraces, most homes are detached or semi-detached. The village has a small supermarket, library, health centre, bank, restaurants and coffee shop, and other small shops. There isn't a pub, petrol station or butchers. It has a number of churches in the village and two community centres. A new primary school has recently been built. There was once a rail service into Newcastle, which has been closed for many years, but it does have a regular bus service. The village is a short drive away from the Metro centre, which is the major out of town shopping centre in the North East.

Town or country – the best of both worlds
For most people, density is the main thing that defines a rural or urban location. Whether people prefer the town or the country is not always clear cut. The car has made it possible to transfer easily between the two and many people believe that they live in the best of both worlds. This was particularly the case in the green village of Rowlands Gill.

It takes 10 minutes to get to the shops (Metro Centre) but you wouldn’t know they were there . Resident, Rowlands Gill