South Heaton News In Brief (Greg Stone)

South Heaton News In Brief

April 22, 2009 12:00 AM

:: MORE IN STORE?

Consultation is underway on plans for two local supermarkets.

Tesco is seeking permission to take over the Somerfield store on Chillingham Road as a Tesco Local store, while Sainsbury's is seeking permission to build a new larger store to replace their Cochrane Park branch.

This would involve them acquiring the adjacent site to expand onto.

Councillor Doreen Huddart says: "Local Lib Dem councillors are campaigning for junction improvements on Benton Road and at the Etherstone Avenue entrance as a planning condition.

"Get in touch with us if you'd like to express a view about these plans."

:: YELLOW FEVER

The South Heaton Lib Dem FOCUS Team have welcomed the council's programme of yellow line repainting to help to reduce problem parking particularly on corners as part of a review of transfer of parking enforcement from the police to the council.

All existing parking restrictions across the city have had to be reviewed.

Where necessary, minor revisions have been made, such as alterations to parking bays on Chillingham Road.

More importantly lines are being extended around many of the junctions with side streets to try to improve visibility and reduce accidents by people parking too close.

LICENSING ISSUES

A recent application for an off-licence for a store on Addycombe Terrace was approved by licensing magistrates despite concerns from residents, who were represented in court by Councillor Greg Stone.

Magistrates did not feel there were sufficient grounds to refuse a licence, despite the presence of numerous other outlets in the area and known problems with youth disorder and drinking at Iris Brickfield.

Councillor Greg Stone says: "We were more successful in opposing an application to turn the old British Legion Club on Chillingham Road into a "Student Cultural and Study Club" selling alcohol.

"This sounds suspiciously like a student bar."

Greg Stone joined numerous residents and Ravenswood Primary School in opposition to the proposals, and the local objections to the scheme have led to the applicant withdrawing his plans.

Greg Stone added: "We will continue to object to any future plans if they are unsuitable."

:: TELECOM MAST OPPOSED

Residents of the Heaton Road area and cross streets approached Councillor Greg Stone to raise concerns about a proposed mobile phone mast on the new building at Heaton Baptist Church on the grounds of health risk and potential impact on the nearby primary school.

Greg Stone says: "We have supported objectors by writing to telecom company O2 and the Church, and welcome the decision by the Church to withdraw the plan.

THAT'S YOUR LOT!

The South Heaton Lib Dem team is supporting local residents who would like to see more local provision for allotments.

Currently demand is outstripping supply at local allotment sites for the first time in many years, and we have been contacted to ask for support in identifying new sites. Councillor Karen Robinson says: "Clearly Heaton is fairly densely populated at present and there are not many vacant sites on offer but we are raising the matter with the council with a view to identifying possible new sites in this part of the city, and/or making new plots on existing sites."