WALKERS in Prudhoe have raised concerns about the extended closure of a public footpath.

The walkway through the old Prudhoe hospital site, from Park Lane to Stanley Burn, was closed by developer Gentoo in February this year while it completed work on its 404-home Cottier Grange development.

The closure was intended to be for a six-month period but it was then extended until October this year. It has now been extended again until April 30, 2019.

Gentoo said the closure, which the Secretary of State has granted, would not affect the footpath for the whole of the period until April 2019.

It said it would be open for periods of time and then closed when construction work was taking place alongside or underneath the path.

Although no dates have been given, Gentoo said residents would be informed of future closures as and when they were planned. But local walkers have been angered by the news and Prudhoe resident Philip Hindmarsh, backed by others, has set up a petition against the closure that has gathered more than 190 signatures.

It asks Northumberland County Council to revoke the current temporary closure; require Gentoo to provide safe access across the site; and significantly reduce any future temporary closures.

He said: “I accept and understand that the path has to be closed at times to protect the public during phases of construction but closed for more than two years?”

Anthony Lowther, deputy director of Gentoo Homes, said: “Cottier Grange is a live construction site and poses a number of significant risks to the public. The health and safety of both local residents and our staff working on site is of paramount importance and it would be irresponsible of us to reopen the footpath at this moment in time.

The closure of the footpath has been extended until April, 2019. However, the footpath will not be closed for this full period of time. It will be reopened, closed and reopened again at different points over the closure period in order for us to complete construction work on the site.

"We will notify local residents of future closures as and when they are planned and we apologise for any inconvenience the closure is causing.”

A spokeswoman for Northumberland County Council said: “Officers discussed the closure with the developer at the outset and are satisfied that the developer has planned the works to limit the extent of closure over the whole period.”