One Small Victory For Residents But Justice For The Community

Following the submissions to Government Office North East by national charity SAVE Britain's Heritage in November the Planning Department at Gateshead Council received a long letter from Government Office North East. In part it said;

"Secretary of State's Formal Decision

... the Secretary of State hereby directs that the development described in your letter, the documents submitted with it and the information subsequently provided is 'EIA development' within the meaning of the 1999 regulations."

This can hardly have come as a surprise to the bureaucrats overseeing the controversial demolition of central Gateshead. More than 12 months ago, in evidence to their planning committee, the Residents Association pointed out that a case before the European Court that had received a provisional ruling applied to them. Legal Eagles at Gateshead Council verbally dismissed this case as irrelevant before the Planning Committee - carefully making sure they submitted nothing in writing. However the Secretary of State is now following exactly the result of that case.

Residents have been consistent calling for an Environmental Impact Assessment and Gateshead Council has been consistent in ignoring their request and putting unlawful planning applications in front of their Planning Committee. Solicitors for the Council having been forced to admit applications were unlawful.

Over the last 5 years; Residents have fought the consultants plan to recommend 1,200 demolitions and reduced it to 440; Promoted renovation over demolition; Gateshead Council have fought 3 court actions and have lost caving in before a Judge forced them to; now after ignoring requests for an Environment Impact Assessment they have been forced by the Secretary of State to obey the law.

As a by product of residents slowing the demolition to a snails pace the Council have been forced to spend their demolition money on renovation. They are now hitting the media with frenzy of publicity about the fantastic refurbishments going on. Of course this carefully omits that the spending is because the demolition strategy is unsustainable and because residents have reacted so badly against demolition.

In order to do an Environmental Impact Assessment you must have a sense of the community being affected by the proposed developments. So far Gateshead Council have followed the wishes of millionaire developers carrying out ethnic cleansing of working class Gateshead in order to provide a "grass paradise" to re-shape the inner city as a land of suburban middle class homes with gardens. This future proposed by the council seemingly ignores the less expensive and environmentally sustainable policies put forward by residents.

Residents hope that finally they will be brought in from the cold and asked what they want in their community rather than have the proposals led by developers.