Old School Enquiry Set for 15th December
Submitted by Andrew Millne on November 20, 2009 – 1:46 pm5 Comments
Following on from our previous article regarding the adjournment of the Bedlington Old School enquiry, a date has now been set for Tuesday, December 15th at 10am.
The public will not be allowed to speak at the meeting unless permission is sought before the event, however a public viewing gallery will be available for any residents wishing to observe.
Commenting on the proposed development, Bedlington.co.uk visitor Sarah, said : “Bedlington doesnt need more housing it needs more community spirit a youth club and some better shops. I have lived in bedlington all my life and would like to see it go up in the world not down.”
please dont make the mistake of knocking the school down its part of bedlington history look what happened with mthe hall at horton road
Unfortunately it’s not financially viable to restore it into what I suspect you are hoping for. There is a willing and able developer wanting to invest seriously in our town and unfortunately this investment is being blocked by legislation that is not suited to the situation we are currently in.
It’s also not fair to compare the mismanagement shown by one developer with others.
I too love the character and appearance of the Old School and hate to see it go but the alternative continual decline of that site would be even worse and would continue to negatively affect the surrounding area.
In responce to your comments dated 1/12/09
How do you arrive at the fact that it is not viable to restore the Old School, Bedlington,
Please tell me how a monstrosity of a develpment of 19 flats can compare with this beautiful old building.
Lots of things are achievable and any building can be restored for example the Chantry in Morpeth which is used for retail, and the Old School in Nedderton Village “which has been converted into housing but still maintains its original apperance”.
Your so called willing and able developer whom you presume wants to invest in our town has done nothing in the 6 years he has owned the property, to maintain or attempt to repair the building. He previously owned a shop on Bedlington Front street, which only lasted a short space of time. The developers interest lies with maximising profit “NOT” with the interests of the local economy or the residents. What is the community going to gain from 19 flats “which will be totally incongrous within the street scene” apart from traffic problems.
Bedlington is quickly becoming a dormitory town for people who want to live in a semi-rural town, but whose employment, recreation and social-life are outside the town, this development will do nothing to help the regeneration of Bedlington.
We need community investment not housing developments, we have had our fair share of them, for example the Netherdale venue site which many are still un-occupied, Elmfield court, Bedlington station more flats (none of them sold), Bebside Hall
which was demolished and replaced with flats, which have been very difficult to either sell or let and stood empty for at least 2 years after development.
This development by the planning inspectorate has sounded the death-knell for Bedlington and Northumberland as a whole, as any developer who wants to demolish any other site of interest in a conservation area will just pull the information forward as an example to achieve their purpose. Surely a conservation area is to conserve our heritage “NOT” demolish it.
If we can’t conserve this building why try to conserve any of our heritage why not blitz the whole Front street including St Cuthbert’s church, the old vicarage and the market cross or indeed all the other older development’s on Bedlington Front street, or better still throw the gates open to the developers to lay waste to buildings such as Alnwick castle, Bamburgh castle,Buckingham Palace, Cragside and Stone Henge I am sure there are plenty willing and able developers who would like to invest in these site’s too.
Finally anyone who agree’s with Dysart development’s proposals or the HM planning inspectorates ruling should hang their heads in shame.
the old school should be restored and be turned into a youth club/centre
The inspector’s decision is now published in it’s entirety in the Discussion forums. News article with more info to follow.