A legal challenge has been launched against the approval of a supported accommodation site for adults with autism, learning disabilities, and complex needs in Forest Hall. The legal representative for local residents confirmed that an application for judicial review has been submitted against Cygnet Health Care’s recently approved plans.
The courts will now decide whether a review of the lawfulness and process behind North Tyneside Council’s planning permission is warranted. Such a review examines whether the council followed proper legal procedures when granting permission, not the merits of the application itself.
Controversial Approval Process
Cygnet’s proposals for eight supported living flats were granted permission in June 2026, with planning committee chair Councillor Jim Montague casting the deciding vote. The health firm was then given the green light to develop vacant land on and around Park Drive.
Local resident Stuart Hill criticised the consultation process, saying Cygnet initially distributed a single leaflet with “misleading information” suggesting the site was in Gosforth. “Since then, there has been no communication from the company,” he said.
Hill noted that Forest Hall already hosts the Percy Hedley establishment, which cares for people with autism and complex needs, and has integrated them successfully through community engagement. He raised concerns about construction traffic using a path used by schoolchildren and the loss of trees to a proposed car park.
Concerns Over Safety
“Obviously, it is going to be an accident waiting to happen with construction traffic going in one direction and school children going the other,” Hill added.
During the June planning committee, Cygnet consultant Sam Deegan denied claims that the development had increased from six to eight apartments and stated the firm would “strive to be good neighbours”. He described the site as offering a “forever home” for some people with complex needs and step-down accommodation for those in long hospital stays or placed out of area.
A Cygnet spokesperson said: “We are aware that an application for a judicial review has been submitted and, as this is now a legal matter, it would not be appropriate to comment. We will, of course, respect the judicial process and we remain committed to listening to concerns, working together and engaging constructively with local people.”
