Upset as plan for historic Tynemouth Station is rejected
Feb 5 2010 by Tony Henderson, The Journal
Ylana First, secretary of the Friends of Tynemouth Station, said: “ When I first saw these plans I was so thrilled I hugged people. Now I am very disappointed. It is unbelievable, and I have my theories.”
Carol Pyrah, regional director, planning and development, for English Heritage, welcomed the canopies’ restoration. But she said: “We are disappointed that the planning application for the wider development of the site has been refused.
“English Heritage has been involved with Tynemouth Station, alongside the council and the site owners, for many years and considers the current proposal as an appropriate scheme that would safeguard the future of this nationally important at risk site.
“We also recognise the importance of re-establishing the station’s role in the wider community, and of bringing life and vitality to the site.” She said the decision meant that more money – in addition to grants from English Heritage and the Government’s Sea Change programme – is now required to fund the essential canopy works and cover future maintenance of the site.
“We now look to North Tyneside Council to support this, supplementing both the recent English Heritage grant offer and the Sea Change award,” she said.
“The council needs to know where the money is coming from for the canopies and for future long-term maintenance.”
Jon-Jo MacNamara, council cabinet member for regeneration and development, said last night “The important thing is that we can now start work on the restoration of the canopies.
“We recognise the importance of the station and the planning decision is not the end of the road. My door remains open and I welcome the opportunity to work with all parties so that we can move forward.
“We are not against development at the station but it must be what is right and appropriate for the station”
Concerns
CONCERNS over the station plans, many of which centred on the supermarket, came from 199 objection letters, local MP Alan Campbell, North Tyneside Friends of the Earth and the Northumberland and Newcastle Society.
Council planners said that the food store could affect the viability of Tynemouth and North Shields centres and that the likely demand for on-site parking for the store had been under-estimated.
