People vent anger over Duke’s plan
Published at 13:33, Thursday, 24 July 2008
NEARLY 80 Prudhoe residents turned out at the town’s high school on Tuesday for a public meeting on the implications of the Duke of the Northumberland’s plans for the town.
The controversial proposals for a Sainsbury’s store, a multi-storey car park and more than 150 new homes have been given the go-ahead by Tynedale Council.
The purpose of the meeting, hosted by Prudhoe Community Partnership, was to gather views as the application goes to the Secretary of State.
These will be followed up in a town centre working group action plan, aimed at contributing as much possible to the planning process as it continues.
The Rev. Charles Hope, who is chairman of the partnership, which broadly supports the development, said the meeting was not held to review the council’s decision.
But residents quickly sought to make their opinions on the matter clear and, against the chairman’s wishes, held an impromptu vote on who was against it.
“At least five hands didn’t go up,” Mr Hope told the crowd, only to be greeted with a shout from a resident: “You don’t live in Cranleigh Grove, do you?”
His announcement that several supporters of the plans had not turned up because they feared a “shouting match” was likewise treated with some derision.
To gather their views, the residents were divided into groups and given giant sheets of paper. They were asked to express their feelings under the headings of ‘Challenges’ and ‘Opportunities’.
Concerns were raised about visual impact, traffic, noise, businesses on Front Street, depreciating property values, and lack of consultation.
The fact that only 20 per cent of the housing proposed for a greenfield site would be ‘affordable’ was also criticised.
Each group’s contributions were to attached to the walls for others to look at.
One sheet read simply ‘For: 0, Against: 78’ while another stated: “If you want to be a good council, you shouldn’t let them build this centre! Everyone here will agree!”
One resident clearly thought that pictures spoke louder than words and submitted a sketch showing a man at Neale Street trying to peer over the proposed acoustic barrier.
Submissions on the ‘opportunities’ theme were considerably less forthcoming, but featured some of the most memorable and caustic work of the evening.
Among the submissions were:
l More low-paid jobs!
l Opportunity for the very rich to get very richer.
l Possibility of new park on derelict Co-op site.
Another group simply circled the word ‘opportunities’ with giant question marks.
Speaking after the meeting, the Mr Hope said he was happy with how it went.
“There were lots of strong feelings expressed on both sides of the debate during the meeting, before it and afterwards,” he said.
“The views will be looked at and used constructively. We will be having another meeting in six months’ time to report on the progress that has been made.”
Chairman of the Prudhoe Traders’ Association, John Short, said he was pleased at the turnout, but disappointed that Prudhoe’s Coun. Lorna Garrett had not attended.
Coun. Garrett had proposed supporting the development at last month’s decisive meeting of Tynedale Council’s development control committee.
“She should have been there – that was the general feeling among the public,” Mr Short said.
Coun. Garrett said she had made prior commitments and had sent her apologies in advance.
She added, however, that with the town centre working group she was committed to looking at ideas and tackling concerns.
“Although I wasn’t physically there it doesn’t mean my interest in making this a successful development is any less. My commitment is still there.”
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk
