Tempers boil over as Consett Academy plan approved

Mar 10 2010 by Neil McKay, The Journal

THERE were extraordinary scenes outside a council chamber yesterday when two of the region’s prominent politicians clashed angrily following a meeting over the controversial siting of a £40m plus development.

Durham County Council Cabinet member Bob Young approached Alex Watson, ex-leader of the now disbanded Derwentside District Council, chair of the North East Assembly and a fellow Labour politician, after the meeting.

Coun Young claimed Mr Watson was “part of a vociferous minority” in not wanting a new academy and sports centre built on land at Belle Vue in Consett.

But Coun Young was angrily shouted down by objectors to the plans outside, before he was led away by fellow councillor and magistrate Mac Williams.

Minutes earlier the county council’s planning committee had granted outline planning permission to the plans to build a 1,700-student academy costing an estimated £26m and a new sports centre costing a further £14m by a majority of two, despite hearing that the council had received 131 letters of objections to the plans, and only five in support.

Nevertheless, one letter was read out from county councillor and cabinet member Clive Robson who claimed, like Coun Young, that the majority of Consett residents were, like himself, “unequivocally in favour” of building the development at Belle Vue.

Following the meeting Mr Watson said he would be writing to the Standards Board and the local government ombudsman in protest at the way the meeting was conducted.

Committee chairman Ronnie Rogers ordered those speaking against the proposal to keep to just three minutes to state their objections, and verbally reminded them when they had 30 seconds left on the clock. But speakers in support of building on Belle Vue were subjected to no such sanctions or warnings.

Mr Watson said: “That was an absolute outrage. I was in full flow when the chairman reminded me I had only another 30 seconds, yet speakers for the proposal were given five or six minutes.”

Objectors included members of the Derwentside Area Partnership, the Blackhill Bounders Running Club, the Consett Green Spaces Group, local resident Dorothy Harrison and Liberal Democrat councillor Owen Temple.

Speakers for the academy included David Theobold, the project director for Durham County Council’s Building Schools for the Future programme, two representatives from Leisureworks, the Derwentside Trust for Sport, and two junior football officials who complained that the present football pitches at Belle Vue were infested with broken glass and dog dirt.

Objectors cite extra traffic, the loss of open space, and the fact that the proposed sports centre will be smaller than the present, outdated one, as reasons for opposing the scheme.

Afterwards Mr Watson, who argues that Berry Edge where the town’s steelworks once stood is a more suitable location for the academy and sports centre, vowed: “The battle is lost but the war is far from over.”

Objectors insist they are in favour of a new school and sports centre being built in Consett – but not at Belle Vue.

Already the Consett Green Spaces group has applied for part of the land earmarked for the development to be granted village green status.

And it emerged during yesterday’s meeting that Consett Rugby Club – which would be asked to relocate should the development go ahead – have said they want to stay put.

Despite the granting of outline planning permission yesterday the issue has become so contentious it is likely to go to a pubic inquiry.