Hello!
I'm not an ATCO at Newcastle - but am based there with my airline! A captain queried this a few weeks ago when NEW first went u/s, as the departure is based on the VORDME.
The reply from ATC was that although the VOR was being withdrawn, the DME portion would be staying in service throughout the building work and for the foreseeable future. The DME still has the ident NEW. I'm not sure how this relates to flight plans as i'm not sure you can FP a route to a DME station only, but I can't see why not!
