When residents were invited to a Drop-In to find out about plans for their community here in Gateshead they were treated by yet another bizarre twist to the demolition story. Gateshead Council have now asked a volunteer group called Planning Aid to help residents.
Most residents didn't have a clue as to what they were or why they are "helping" Gateshead Council. One resident was treated to a 10 minute explanation and seemed none the wiser for it.
It transpired that Planning Aid North have been called in to advise the community on good design and choosing the right developer. One local housing campaigner asked whether that meant residents could vote on what developer will be allowed to build on post-demolition Gateshead. The answer was no. Another asked whether the suggestions from residents would be implemented. The answer was that this could not be guaranteed. Yet another asked whether, if residents didn't like demolition, this would be withdrawn. Again the answer was that Planning Aid had just come to the brief and assumed everyone agreed with demolition as Gateshead Council told them - they were soon better informed.
The Planning Aiders all seemed to be students of planning who had no connection with Gateshead. So living with their recommendations wasn't part of their brief. They styled themselves as "resident volunteers" although not actually resident in the community.
Planning Aid were brought in by Gateshead Council to help the community and build community resources. There was an irony in all this since Saltwell and Bensham Residents Association have run a number of community events over the last couple of years but are ignored by Gateshead Council simply because we disagree on demolition. Instead of enagaging with the community directly they find it necessary to get yet another group of consultants to persuade residents to accept a world involving the demolition of homes.
Some Gateshead officers were around saying that they told the truth, unlike the residents association. Missing out the little fact that Gateshead officers omitted the word demolition from every part of their original 2005 consultation - so much for the truth. One did reveal little snippets of what we already believed. He casually let slip that renovation in the "avenues" was really completing the housing project that was never finished 20 years ago and that most of the other renovation areas were council owned property. He also confirmed that the cost of the demolition of 440 homes would be a staggering £40 million leaving little for good design or renovation.
Little was said of the council leader's pledge that everyone would notice the difference in their area as most of the area was marked "yellow" meaning managed or, as a council official put it, making sure you get your bins emptied.
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