Welcome to the latest edition of eFocus from the local Lib Dem Focus Team. In this edition we report on:
proposals to begin work again on the unfinished house on Whickham Bank;
Lib Dem tree planting plans backed by Gateshead Council;
Cllr Peter Craig to be awarded British Empire Medal;
Knitting activities at Sunniside;
Fireworks clamp down call;
Polling stations moved from some local schools;
planning applications.
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Work to restart on
Whickham Bank unfinished house?
Work could start again on the unfinished house on Whickham Bank if the Government approves changes to the plans for the building.
Planning permission for the house was given by Gateshead Council in 1998 but building work stopped when concerns were raised that neighbouring properties would lose their privacy because of the size and proximity of the new house.
Gateshead Council was then asked to intervene to get changes made to the house, so that the views of neighbouring residents could be addressed. There is a long and difficult legal process that has to be gone through to achieve this. The process of overturning planning permission on a building that has been built to the requirements of the same planning permission is one that is rarely used.
The final stage of negotiations has only now been reached and agreement is being sought with the building's owner to modify the design to reduce its height, reduce overlooking of neighbouring homes and alleviate local residents' concerns.
Gateshead Council are proposing to serve a "Section 102 notice" which would amend the existing planning permission and approve a new design. The notice will need to be confirmed by the Secretary of State who may invite interested parties to comment. At this stage, local residents will be able to put forward their views and have these taken into account. After this, the Secretary of State will decide on whether to allow the development to go ahead.
Local Lib Dem Councillor Sonya Hawkins said, "This has been a long and drawn out process but we are hopeful that the state of the house and its future can be resolved and also that residents' concerns can be addressed."
About 70 neighbouring properties will receive a letter in the next few days, giving information on who to address their concerns and comments to.
Lib Dem tree planting call backed by Council
Lib Dem campaigner in Lobley Hill, Jonathan Mohammed, pictured at Beggarswood where he is campaigning for tree planting to take place.
A Liberal Democrat motion calling for land to be used for planting new woodland has been agreed by Gateshead Council. In a bid to tackle global climate change, the motion, which now becomes Council policy, sets out to identify Council owned land which could be suitable for tree planting.
Moving the motion, Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition Cllr Jonathan Wallace said, "Tree planting is one of the most effective ways to soak up the carbon produced by burning fossil fuels which is leading to global climate change.
"The Council owns many sites throughout the borough which have been left to turn to scrubland. Such areas could be planted with trees. This will help to clean our air and make Gateshead a more attractive place to live."
Lib Dem Cllr Sonya Hawkins, who seconded the motion, said, "The motion specifically aims to ask the residents of Gateshead to identify areas they believe could be planted with trees. We urge anyone with ideas and thoughts on possible sites to get in touch with us."
Lib Dem campaigner in Lobley Hill, Jonathan Mohammed, who has called for parts of Beggarswood to be replanted with trees said, "We each have to do our bit to cut the impact we have on the environment and the motion is an important step forward."
Cllr Wallace will be launching a scheme to grow hundreds of trees from seeds later this year. He will be collecting seeds from trees in the borough and planting them on his small holding near Sunniside. After a few years he will be giving away the resulting saplings to residents and volunteer groups to plant up around Gateshead.
Congratulations to Cllr Peter Craig who is to be awarded the British Empire Medal. The award was announced in the New Year's Honours List. Peter is to receive the award for his community work in the Whickham area.
Knitting time!
Knit 'n' Natter group meets at Sunniside Methodist Church on 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 2pm. All residents are welcome to call in and take part.
The group however is now expanding to give those who are housebound or working the opportunity to join in with community projects. Currently angels (aiming for 1000 for next Christmas) and poppies (for the VE weekend and Remembrance Sunday) are being knitted but other ideas will be considered. Patterns are provided and also wool if necessary.
If you want to get out your knitting needles and join in at home, email sunnisidemethodistchurch@gmail.com or leave a note in the Church letter box, with contact details.
An end to the big bang?
Cllr Peter Maughan is encouraging people to go to public fireworks displays rather than using loud fireworks privately.
A call to cut down on excessively loud fireworks has been jointly backed by both Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors in Gateshead.
At the Council meeting on 23rd January, a joint motion was approved which called on retailers not to sell very loud fireworks. Worries were expressed about the impact on communities, vulnerable residents, pets and livestock.
The motion called for the time fireworks can be sold in the run up to Bonfire Night to two days rather than the current three weeks. Sales of fireworks before New Year and Chinese New Year are restricted to two days.
Local RSPCA chairman and Dunston and Whickham Councillor, Peter Maughan, seconded the motion. He outlined the terrifying effect loud bangs can have on animals.
"I am not wanting to be a kiljoy," said Peter, "but we have to consider the welfare of animals and vulnerable individuals such as the many veterans who suffer from mental health problems. Too often the loud bangs of fireworks can bring back terrible memories of being in combat situations.
"We don't want to put an end to the use of private fireworks but we need to reduce the noise they make. Better still, go to a public display."
Polling station changes
2019 saw a total of four different elections held in Gateshead. Although this was an unusually high number, the disruption to schools that are used as polling station was significant. By coincidence, the Council was due to carry out a review of polling stations. The review has made a number of suggestions for changes in the Whickham area and these have now been agreed by the council.
Gibside School is due to be relocated in the near future. The use of the building as a polling station is therefore ending. The new polling station will be in Fellside Methodist Church.
Fellside Primary School is no longer to be used as a polling station. Instead residents will vote at Fellside Methodist Church.
Whickham Parochial School will no longer be used as a polling station. The new polling station will be the Coachman's pub on Burnthouse Lane.
St Mary's School will cease to be a polling station which will be moved instead to 1st Whickham Scout HQ on Park Drive, Whickham.
Some minor changes to polling districts have also been agreed.
Residents of Washingwell Lane will no longer vote at Washingwell School but will now use the new polling station at the Scouts hall on Park Drive.
Residents at the top of Glendale Avenue, Whickham, will no longer vote at Whickham Community Centre but will now use Fellside Methodist Church.
Fell Close and The Crescent, Sunniside, will now vote at Marley Hill Community Centre instead of Sunniside Social Club.
Cllr John McClurey said, "We felt it was important to move polling stations out of schools wherever this was possible so that the disruption to children's education is kept to a minimum."
The Scouts' hall on Park Drive, Whickham, will be the new polling station for those who previously voted at St Mary's School.
Planning Applications
Planning permission is being sought to build a detached house on land to the rear of Oakfield House, Gateshead Road, Streetgate.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital are applying for permission to extend the maternity unit and create additional delivery rooms.
An application has been submitted to build three industrial units on land next to 211 Queensway South on the Team Valley.
Permission is being sought to convert the office at 4 School Lane, Whickham into a yoga, pilates and meditation studio.
Keldine Motors on Wellington Road, Dunston, are applying for planning permission for a digital and illuminated LED advertisement display.
Cut Thorn Farm on Fellside Road near Whickham are seeking permission to improve drainage including excavation of a drainage ditch and installation of a temporary post and wire fencing until the hedgerow matures. The application also seeks to install a culvert under Hillhead Lane.
The National Trust at Gibside are seeking permission to erect a polytunnel in the walled garden for three years.
Go North East are planning to create a new bus parking area at Mandela Way, Metrocentre.
EE are planning to install a 20 metre mast at Watergate Park.
Planning permission is being sought to build a single storey house at 25 Cornmoor Road, Whickham.
