Latest news with #SouthTyneside
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Durham Court demolition branded 'appalling mistake'
Concerns have been raised over plans to demolish a tower block and rehouse its elderly Tyneside Council's Labour cabinet recently unanimously agreed plans to rehouse the residents of Durham Court in Hebburn and to demolish the 18-storey block dates back to 1974 and currently has 96 people living there, the majority aged over councillors from the South Tyneside Alliance Group have criticised the move, describing it as "a staggering waste of public money". Councillor Andrew Guy, a representative for the opposition group, called the move an "appalling mistake", and also raised concerns about the tower being a "substantial customer" for the Hebburn Energy heating facility cost the council £11.9m, of which £4.8m came from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), according to the Local Democracy Reporting added: "This 18-storey tower block will be flattened, in the process wiping out the main reason the £11.9m Hebburn Energy Centre was built." The opposition group and independent councillors said they requested the decision to be "called in" and referred to a scrutiny council chiefs said they had not "received a valid request for call-in" – a ruling which Guy said the group would be "formally challenging".The local authority added a valid call-in request must come no later than 12:00 on the fifth working day after publication of the minutes – which in this case falls on 2 Carter, deputy council leader, previously said it was "by no means a conclusion we have reached lightly" to demolish Durham highlighted how the building would require £12m of investment to modernise and keep at a decent standard – which would have meant "significant disruption to the tenants without any guarantees about the long-term sustainability of the block".In response to concerns around the Hebburn Energy Centre, a council spokesperson said a new children's home would be connected to the renewable energy network, which would "mitigate a proportion of the lost carbon savings".The local authority added rehousing residents and the demolition process was likely to take about three to four years to complete. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Plans for children's care hub near Sunderland
A residential property could become a care hub for children and young people with complex mental health or behavioural needs, if plans are for Children (TfC), which delivers children's services on behalf of Sunderland City Council, wants to create a care facility for up to four people, aged from 11 to 17, at the site at Hylton Bridge Farm.A planning statement noted there was currently no specific such provision within Sunderland and South Tyneside, with the new development aiming to create "a local, regulated home".A decision is expected by 8 July. The proposed site, referred to as "The White House", is within an area off Downhill Lane and the Nissan plant, according to documents seen by the Local Democracy Reporting include building a 6.5ft-high (2m) timber fence around the property and installing planning statement said the home would not always operate at capacity and the maximum number of children on site at any one time would be limited to and young people using the home may "require personal care, medication, and support with learning" and the home was not expected to have a lot of visitors, the document said the proposed development was appropriate within the green belt.A decision on the planning application will be made after a period of consultation by councillors. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
South Tyneside's Summer Parade to teach people how to make floats
People are being given the chance to create floats for an event which marks the start of the South Tyneside Summer Parade – which will take place on Saturday 5 July – attracts hundreds of participants, as well as thousands more who line the year, schools and community groups will be taught to build floats and large theatrical pieces by artist Chris Finlay from art organisation The Cultural Spring said it was the first time the parade had taught people how to build the structures but it would be a great way to develop people's talents. "We have had a lot of interest from groups which haven't been involved before, which is fantastic to see and we are really delighted that they want to take part," she of the new participants is Waythough, an LGBTQ+ youth group, which will be working closely with the Cultural Spring's artists. Other firsts include the group Autism Able, which will be working with Kenyan dancer, Rapasa, to make recycled instruments and learn Kenyan songs and dances. The theme of this year's parade is sustainability and participants have been collecting items such as bottle caps and plastic bags to use in the recycled materials will be used to create giant puppets, which will be showcased during the parade."We will hopefully also be able to use these structures again in some way at events like the winter parade or next summer, so we're really showing how committed we are to recycling and reusing," Ms Finlay said. A float celebrating South Tyneside being twinned with Epinay sur Seine will also be created by Epinay School at Nevison year marks 60 years of South Tyneside being twinned with the French town, which was originally twinned with Jarrow in 1964. South Tyneside Council's lead member for culture, leisure and visitor economy, Judith Taylor, said the Summer Parade was the "epitome of community spirit". "It celebrates and showcases the wonderful groups we have here in South Tyneside and brings them together in the most spectacular way," she said."I can't wait to see their creations on parade." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Deliberate fires in Cleadon Park mean baby owl cannot be released
A baby owl rescued by an animal charity will have to live without its parents after volunteers found children setting fires near where it was owlet was discovered covered in tree sap a week ago and had been attacked by crows before volunteers at Pawz for Thought found it and nursed it back to when they attempted to return the bird to its nest in Cleadon Park, South Tyneside, they found children setting fires under nearby trees and Ebdale, founder of the charity, said the fires meant the owl had lost its home and "the chance of growing up with his parents". Pawz for Thought's facilities in Sunderland are not equipped to care for the owlet so it is being transferred to another charity, which is better tailored to its needs."He now has to go and live with three other owls up in Blyth," said Ms Ebdale."We dare not put him back there." Once the owl is fully grown it will be rereleased into the wild."Birds do more than just feed their young," Ms Ebdale explained."They teach them and nurture them. We can't replicate that but what we can do is grow them to the point where they are fit enough to fly off." Ms Ebdale said there were increasing numbers of fires being set, which damage habitats for animals."This is going on all over the country - it's just awful," she said."We've got precious little left as it is and it's all just being destroyed. There are no safe places any more." Both Northumbria Police and the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said they did not receive a report of a fire in Cleadon Park on Wednesday, so did not attend the scene. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hebburn flats to be demolished leaving Durham Court residents angry
Nearly 100 people living in a high-rise block of flats have been told their homes will be Tyneside Council's cabinet gave the go-ahead for Durham Court in Hebburn to be taken down, at a meeting on said the 1974-built block had outlived its "original intended lifespan" of 50 years and the estimated £12m needed to repair it was not living there - many of them elderly tenants - now face the upheaval of being rehomed over a possible five-year period. A number of those living in the building - which is seen as a landmark in the town - described the tower block as a "thriving community" of people "who all look after each other".Resident Peter Douglass said: "I know if I need any help it's right there in this building."That's a community and they're destroying it in one fell swoop."Widow Emily Rice, 94, who is partially-sighted, added: "My husband died and I've got no family - this was to be my last home, but the council in its wisdom has decided to turf me out." The Labour-led local authority has offered tenants reassurances that it will find new homes for them in Hebburn and they will not have to leave the leader Tracey Dixon said: "We will ensure right from the very beginning that the tenants that live in Durham Court will be given the homes of their choice."It's all about giving them priority, so if they want to continue living in Hebburn then they can." She added: "We know Durham Court is their family home, so we're here to support them and make sure they lead healthy and happy lives." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
