UK Docks Tyne Slipway ST/0461/14/FUL [NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED]
From:    “Customer Advocates” <Customer.Advocates@southtyneside.gov.uk>
Date:    Wed, December 9, 2015 2:13 pm
To:    “mick.dawson@theharbourview.co.uk” <mick.dawson@theharbourview.co.uk>
Priority:    Normal

Dear Mr Dawson

I have been forwarded your emails to the Planning Team dated 4th and 7th December 2015, in order to clarify the Council’s position regarding your comments on issues relating to the existing boat repair shed at UK Docks Tyne Slipway and your earlier complaint to the Council regarding this matter.

Your email of 4th December refers to not being satisfied with the responses to the second part of your earlier contact to the team on 30 September. This was regarding the planning enforcement aspect of the existing boat repair shed. This matter has been investigated fully by the Council through its corporate complaints procedure. The complaint was not upheld and was also considered and decided by the Local Government Ombudsman who found no fault with the Council’s decision.

The Local Government Ombudsman’s final decision dated 15 April 2015 was that:

This complaint is not upheld. In 2013 a developer resumed building a boat shed for which he had planning permission and had started building in 2001. Local residents complained but the Council found the developer could still build the shed. However, the developer built it almost a metre wider than he should have done. There is no evidence of fault in the way the Council dealt with the breach of planning control and its decision not to take enforcement action. It kept residents informed throughout the process. The complainant says the shed is also 3 metres higher than it should be. The Council says it is not. There is no fault in how the Council decided the shed is the permitted height.

We have also responded to a further enquiry made to the Council via your then local MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan, dated 1 June 2015, which claimed you had not been able to locate any details from the Council on why the shed had been approved despite the breach in planning conditions, even though at that time you had received complaint responses from both the Council and the Ombudsman.

You also submitted a further complaint to the Council on the same matter on 13 July 2015. I have attached my responses to your  contact which confirmed the Council were not to consider the matter further.

As advised in my email of 22 July the Council do not intend to address this matter further. We ask that you refrain from referring to these historic issues in your further contacts with the Council.

Your comments on the revised planning application ST/0461/14/FUL are being dealt with through the legal planning procedure and any comments will be considered when a decision is made on the application in due course.

Yours sincerely

Alison Hoy
Performance and Information Support Officer
Customer Advocates
South Tyneside Council