Oh what a tangled web we weave,
when first we practise to deceive!
Part I
5.9.2013
Expansion of Facilities of the UK Docks site at River Drive begins and a largely Romanian crew, according to people living within earshot, erect a structure of five large frames on the 2001 foundations. Responses to enquiries are titled “Approved boat repair shelter at Tyne Slipway, River Drive, South Shields”
9.9.2013
The question “Has the revised height of 15.5metres been approved or is it in breach of the 1996 Planning approval?” is not answered. The enquirer referred to Complaints by Case Officer.
25.11.2013
At a meeting with the Case Officer, members of the Tyne Gateway Association were told that the development was ‘Legal’
16.12.2013
The Case Officer is informed that the shelter is a meter wider than planned.
20.12.2013
Case Officer says again that the base and height of the structure are compliant.
10.1.2014
Complaint to Planning Enquiries that work continues on what is apparently an ‘unplanned’ structure. The shelter appears to be 3 meters higher and 1 meter than the plans allow. This enquiry is intercepted by the Case Officer and he says his understanding is that the responses given at the meeting 25.11.14 enabled the matter to be closed. He suggests talking to the Chair of the TGA. He also suggests using the Council’s complaints procedure. He does not respond to main point of the complaint: that work continues on an unplanned structure.
14.1.2014
Escalation of complaint up the management chain.
Planning Manager raises complaint 248789 on based on the escalation email 14.1.2014 and not the original email 10.1.2014
15.1.2014
The Planning Manager says “The dimensions of the steelwork have been checked on site and they are in accordance with the measurements shown on the approved drawings which repeats what the Case Officer has been saying from day 1.
28.1.2014
Planning Manager says that a drawing of the river gable end is the landward end and concludes “In fact the 15,6m height is the height to River Drive and the height on the river side is some 3m greater”. In the context of drawing 8296/14 this is not true. At the same time he suggests that to pursue this matter further the complainant asks the Head of Service, George Mansbridge, to respond, to any remaining points he may have, formally under stage 2 of the Council’s complaints procedure.
13.2.2014
The Planning Manager is given evidence to show that his interpretation of the drawing of the river gable end is wrong and concedes the the current structure is not built to “approved” plans.
4.3.2014
A Petition is raised and an email is to Planning requesting a cessation of work until such time as appropriate community consultation with the relevant council departments can be arranged to explain their actions with regard to the unplanned slipway cover. Petition and Email 4.3.14
17.3.2014
Port of Tyne tug taken onto the slipway of UK Docks. The shelter is put to use breaking the conditions of Grant of Planning Permission 4 a) 1996.
20.3.2014
As the shelter is being put to use a reminder is sent to the Planning Manager.
1.4.2014
Front Page Headline SHED LOAD OF GRIEF in the local paper repeating some of the errors of their September 2013 news items, a) that the ‘boat shed is only 36ft high (11m) and b) the work meets all the necessary legal requirements.
4.4.2014
- It is a month since writing to the Planning Manager;
- the shelter construction is still being carried out;
- the slipway shelter is put to use;
- the shelter does not meet the conditions of the grant of permission;
- is built higher than any plans provided for by the Council;
- and the Shield Gazette which is normally very good at reporting South Tyneside Council business affairs accurately, seems to have it wrong.
So a letter is sent to the Head of Development Services about some of the issues raised. He acknowledged the receipt of the letter and asked on of his staff to update complaint 248489. There is no response to any of the points raised because it was passed back to the Planning Manager.
25.4.2014
The Planning Manager replies to the letter of the 4th April:
Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2014 12:43:07
Subject: feedback case 248789 [NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED]
Dear Mr Dawson
I’m sorry for the delay. Mr Mansbridge is hoping to get a comprehensive response off to residents by the end of next week
Regards
Gordon Atkinson
This is the last that is heard of the complaint of the 10th January 2014.
On the 29th April the North Shields Ferry taken onto Slipway.
It is 3 meters longer than the shelter.