Whickham phone masts rejected

Two phone masts planned for Whickham in Gateshead have been rejected by the Council’s planning committee after campaigns by local Lib Dem councillors and residents.

Vodaphone and 02 wanted to put the masts at the junction of Broom Lane and Whaggs Lane and at the top of Leasyde Walk in Fellside Park. Both locations were close to people’s homes.

Councillors on the planning committee rejected both applications on Wednesday 17th August. Two petitions opposing each application had been handed in to the Council.

Councillor Peter Maughan, who helped residents campaign against the planning applications, said, “Residents asked us to help run the petitions as they were concerned about these masts being too close to people’s homes.

“These big phone companies cannot expect to ride roughshod over people. I was angry they had submitted these applications as the same companies put in almost exactly the same plans earlier this year which were rejected by the planning committee in April.

“These phone companies don’t seem to want to take ‘No!’ as an answer. Hopefully they will now let residents live in peace.”

Photo above: site on Fellside Road, Whickham, where councillors have rejected plans for a phone mast.

Sun Hill residents call for home to be kept open

Residents of Sun Hill, Sunniside, rallied outside their home on Saturday 13th August, calling for the aged persons' home to be kept open.

Residents battle to keep open aged persons’ home

Residents of Sun Hill in Sunniside, Gateshead are to rally together and launch a petition opposing proposals that could see their aged persons’ home close without a replacement.

Sun Hill is a popular location and has been home to Sunniside’s senior citizens for the last forty years. But the Council is considering closing the home as it does not come up to modern standards.

There are fears that without Sun Hill in place, Sunniside will be without a home for older residents.

“The knock on effect of closing and not replacing Sun Hill would be enormous in Sunniside,” said Cllr John McClurey, Liberal Democrat councillor for the village, who is helping residents campaign to keep a home for older people in the village.

“Without Sun Hill, many older people in Sunniside will opt to stay in their existing homes. That will mean fewer family homes available for people with young children in the village.

“Sun Hill has been a great success and the residents love living there. There is a very strong community spirit in the home and many activities take place in the community lounge. When you move into Sun Hill it’s like joining a family. I am worried this will be lost if Sun Hill is closed.”

Residents will be rallying outside Sun Hill to launch a petition calling for Sun Hill to be retained at 11am on Saturday 13th August.