Finalised Dunston Hill house building plans expected by December

Photo: Lib Dem campaigners Cllr Peter Maughan and Kevin McClurey outside the Central Nursery where Labour plans to build 100s of executive homes.

Lib Dem campaigners, who have been leading the battle against Labour’s plans to build nearly 600 executive homes on local countryside, are warning that 2018 could see “our countryside buried under concrete” if the house-building proposals are not defeated.

Labour Coucillors battled to have the Central Nursery and fields to the south of Whickham Highway removed from the greenbelt so that the superexpensive housiing plans can go ahead.

Lib Dem Councillor Peter Maughan has contacted planning officers for an update on the plans submitted earlier this year by house-builder Persimmon.

“I have been told that the plans could come to the Council’s planning committee by December at the earliest but discussions on some of the details of the application are still being sorted,” said Peter.

“Liberal Democrats are continuing the battle to defeat the housing plans, said Lib Dem campaigner Kevin McClurey. "We circulated a petition earlier this year opposing the current planning application and we are continuing to collect signatures.

“Labour claims that they ‘are for the many, not the few’ are dead in the water in Gateshead. The executive homes they want on Dunston Hill will be well beyond what most residents can afford. Instead of affordable homes for the many, they are building expensive homes for the few.

“In Crawcrook, a similar plan by Labour has seen new houses built that will start at 10 times the average annual pay of residents. The Dunston Hill Houses are likely to be even more expensive.”