Tyneside Matters

Tyneside Committee

Report by Rosemary Dodd

The Tyneside Committee have only met once since the last issue of City and County. Dr Mike Casselden submitted a written summary of the progress with the Tynemouth Station. There was local delight at the award of the £2m Sea Change Grant to help restore the Station. However local people remain very concerned that the spectre of the proposed supermarket development is very much present. Dr Mike Casselden will continue to be involved on behalf of the Society.

One of the ongoing concerns for the committee is the large number of applications for advertising signage, which both increase the light pollution in the city and ‘clutter’ the streets. Sadly the planning policies are often too weak to enable planning officers to refuse permission even in conservation areas.

Listed buildings are however better protected. The projecting illuminated signs are the most offensive as the building line of the street is lost and the original planned vistas disappear. Once one property is granted permission it opens the floodgates for their neighbours to compete by having a bigger and brighter sign. Northumberland Street and Pilgrim Street are an example of how fine vistas can be destroyed in this way. The Tyneside Committee makes regular comments on these issues and occasionally our comments lead to action!

Big Screen for Newcastle

Report by Dominic Coupe

The idea was that Newcastle was going to get a giant outdoor television screen so that we could all enjoy watching major sporting events together. Thousands of us, all together watching, say, the Olympics in 2012. Good for our communities, good for our regional capital and good old-fashioned fun.

Sadly though, somebody thought that it was a good idea to hang the screen over Northumberland Street at the junction with Pilgrim Street. I was asked to represent the Society’s view on Radio Newcastle. I said that we thought it was a good idea to have a screen in Newcastle; just not at such a busy shopping location. even suggested alternatives; Exhibition Park (clue in name), Leazes Park and Times Square, which is home to the Centre for Life and already hosts a wide range of events.

So what happened? Hours later, Newcastle City Council, wisely, refused planning consent for the Northumberland Street location. Then nothing. Seems a shame - looks like we might end up with no giant telly at all.

City and County
February 2010