Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Redheads Landing
Redhead's Landing closed on safety grounds.
The Council have revealed that they were responsible for the decision to lock the public access gate at Redhead's Landing as the site is wholly unsuitable for public access. Neil Carter, a solicitor in the Council's legal team does not even view enforcement of the current planning conditions as "legitimate". This is a poor decision and negates everything that this Council and it's predecessors had worked towards, it also sets a dangerous precedent whereby others could ignore planning conditions at will.
Here is the text of a letter that I have sent to the Shields Gazette for publication:
_________________________________________________________________
The Council have revealed that they were responsible for the decision to lock the public access gate at Redhead's Landing as the site is wholly unsuitable for public access. Neil Carter, a solicitor in the Council's legal team does not even view enforcement of the current planning conditions as "legitimate". This is a poor decision and negates everything that this Council and it's predecessors had worked towards, it also sets a dangerous precedent whereby others could ignore planning conditions at will.
Here is the text of a letter that I have sent to the Shields Gazette for publication:
Dear Sir,
after much campaigning through my weblog "Curly's Daily Comment" and large volumes of email to our MP David Miliband and Borough Councillors, it is a matter of regret that Redhead's Landing has been locked by the Council, and that it was not available as a site to photograph today's Parade of Sail of the Tall Ships.
The Council's officers took the decision to lock the gates on grounds of public safety, there is a large amount of debris on the landing, the cobbles are slippery and covered in moss and algae, and there is no life saving equipment there. This rubbish and debris tends to be high up on the landing and it is difficult to imagine how flytippers could be responsible when the gate is almost always locked these days, and the tide is never high enough to wash the debris so high.
Neil Carter, a Council Solicitor, in his submission to Councillors stated "It is true that a planning condition was imposed in 1990 but after careful consideration, it has been decided that this is not now something which the Council as Local Planning Authority could legitimately enforce."
This is a worrying decision, if it were legitimate to enforce the planning permissions in 1995, then why is it not legitimate to enforce them today? When the original planning consent was granted for the erection of the gates, the authority must have had very good reason for deciding "that a pedestrian access gate be maintained and kept open at all times." A decision such as this sets a precedent and will encourage others to break planning conditions. What value will there be in future decisions taken by the Council if they cannot be policed or enforced?
The amount of debris on the site then was no different to what it is now, the risk of accidents to members of the public will not have increased either, this smells of "compensation culture". Yet we can allow children, adults, anglers, and photographers to clamber over slippery rocks at the Groyne, the South Pier, Trow Rocks etc. where the risk of accidents is all too evident. Do we now take decisions to close off the beaches whenever a major event takes place, in fear of that writ from a "no win no fee" solicitor?
Redhead's Landing needs to be secured for public access as one of only two points of access to the river in South Shields. I call upon the Council to everything within it's power to acquire this small piece of land so that it can be maintained to a safe level for the public to enjoy a view of the river at this historic location, or else run the risk of it being annexed by commercial interests.
I would like to see the area paved with a dwarf wall erected to separate the landing from Tyne Slipway's land and also across the water's edge to prevent people from going into the water. A couple of seats could be provided, as well as the necessary life saving equipment, the area could then be nicely presented and maintained and Tyne Slipway can carry on their business with a better degree of comfort.
I would like to see the area paved with a dwarf wall erected to separate the landing from Tyne Slipway's land and also across the water's edge to prevent people from going into the water. A couple of seats could be provided, as well as the necessary life saving equipment, the area could then be nicely presented and maintained and Tyne Slipway can carry on their business with a better degree of comfort.
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