Green homes look set to get go-ahead
Apr 9 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal
22/9/08
PLANS to bulldoze Gateshead College for a new housing estate will go before a public inquiry late this year.
An application by Grainger plc to turn the 1950s site in Durham Road, Low Fell, into 260 new homes was turned down in June by councillors. But the company has appealed the decision and a Government planning inspector will hear both sides’ arguments from November 25 in what is scheduled to be a three-day inquiry.
The authority’s planning committee turned down planning permission for the scheme following a site visit and after considering objections from residents, who expressed concerns with the modern design, saying it was not in keeping with the character of the area.
They objected to the plan, which proposed demolishing all buildings on the 10-acre site, apart from the 19th Century villa North Dene House, which would be converted into six apartments.
The scheme was for a five to seven-storey block of 51 retirement apartments, a five-storey block of 20 apartments, a six-storey block of 45 apartments, and 138 detached, semi-detached, terraced and mews houses.
The project would include bollards designed by Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North, and made from the same rusty corten steel as the Angel. A cafe was also proposed for the site’s public square and some of the buildings would have "living" green roofs.
After their plans were turned down by the council, Nicola Osborne, Grainger development director, said: "When we bought the Durham Road site we said it deserved a very special treatment and that is what we believe we had delivered after extensive consultations with local people.
"It is still our belief that this project is the best option for regenerating the site and will benefit the local community.
"We remain firmly committed to creating one of the most sought-after places to live in the whole of the North East and a cutting-edge development that will set new environmental standards in the region."
The "green" theme of the 10-acre development included the use of carbon-neutral, wood-pellet burning boilers, low-energy lighting, thermostat-controlled heating and hot water, and ‘zoned’ temperature control.
21/5/08
BACKING is being sought today for the redevelopment of a college site next to one of the North’s greatest Victorian parks.
Grainger plc wants to turn the 1950s Gateshead College site on Durham Road into a landscaped 260-home development. Planners described the application as a "very large and complex proposal for a particularly sensitive and prominent site" and postponed a decision for a councillors’ site visit last week.
The site, next to the restored Saltwell Park, is now largely vacant following the college’s recent move to its new Baltic campus. It is intended that all the buildings on the site other than the 19th Century villa North Dene House – which would be converted into six apartments – will be demolished.
The development is also likely to feature artwork by Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North. The scheme would provide a five- to seven-storey block of 51 retirement apartments, a five-storey block of 20 apartments, a six-storey block of 45 apartments and 138 detached, semi-detached, terraced and mews houses.
Objections from local people have expressed concern that the modern design, scale and density are not in keeping with the area’s character.
But planners say the area is varied in scale, age, designs and materials and councillors are being advised today to back the plans.
