Below is a clarification of a complaint against the council (at stage 3).
Subject: Inappropriate Development on River Drive. STC [PROTECT]
From: “Customer Advocates”
Date: Mon, November 24, 2014 10:12 am
To: “mick.dawson@theharbourview.co.uk”
Dear Mr Dawson
Thank you for your email dated 21 November 2014 which was forwarded to me for consideration.
I can confirm that as previously advised, the Council accepts that the structure in question does not have planning permission. My Stage 3 response to you dated 25 September 2014 also explained the reasons for the Council’s Head of Development Services’ decision that it was not expedient to take planning enforcement action with respect to the development. I am sorry that I am unable to make these points any more clearly than I already have.
I note your intention to approach the Local Government Ombudsman and this is the correct route for you to now follow if you remain dissatisfied with the Council’s handling of this matter.
Yours sincerely
Performance and Information Officer
This is a neat conclusion to a year’s work.
On Nov 25th 2013, I went to a meeting between representatives of the local residents and the case officer for this development and was told the slipway cover was ‘legal’. Later that day, in spite of my reservations, I could do nothing but repeat this lie at a Committee Meeting of the local residents action group (Tyne Gateway Association). There was no way of checking what the Principal Planning Officer (PPO) was saying as the Planning Portal was down. It was to remain down for two weeks.
It took three months to gain an admission, from the Planning Manager that the cover had not been built to an approved plan. However the Head of Development Services reverted to the view held by the PPO with regard to the height of the shed in a letter in a letter to Residents on May 2nd 2014.