Former council chief Alex Watson urges watchdogs to intervene on Consett Academy

Oct 14 2009 by Neil McKay, The Journal

A FORMER local authority boss has urged government financial watchdogs to intervene into plans to site a proposed £26m academy on “green belt” land.

Alex Watson OBE, leader of the now disbanded Derwentside District Council, chair of the North East Assembly and a Labour politician, accused Labour colleagues on Durham County Council of “scandalous” behaviour by claiming that land his authority had proposed for the Consett academy may be contaminated by industrial waste.

The County Council, which took over responsibility for planning from Derwentside just over six months ago following local government reorganisation, wants to build the academy and a new sports centre on land at Belle Vue, close to Consett Civic Centre and the football club.

Locals are vehemently opposed, fearing extra traffic ferrying 1,500 students to Belle Vue and a loss of local playing fields.

Derwentside had wanted to develop Berry Edge, the site of the former steelworks which closed in 1981 with the loss of 3,600 jobs. Now Mr Watson has written to Schools Minister Vernon Coaker MP calling for the Audit Commission to intervene.

He said the target opening of 2011 could be jeopardised because the county council was yet to submit a planning application.

He also claimed they had chosen a location with no public support. Mr Watson said Derwent Valley Area Action Partnership had also voiced its opposition to the location.