CITY AND COUNTY The Journal of the Northumberland & Newcastle Society. May 2020 EDITORIAL CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES to join the objectors will find advice on As editor of City and County, I try to be their campaign Facebook page. even handed when including features on In addition, Peter Lowe was not able controversial issues. The Society’s strapline to support NEPG in their campaign to ‘Protecting and Enhancing our Landscape, reinstate Areas of High Landscape Value Culture and Built Environment for Future (AHLV), on his understanding that it Heritage’ will inevitably be interpreted appeared to reinforce an anti wind farm as a conservationist mantra by most. policy on behalf of the Society. NEPG However, one shouldn’t disregard the fact members responded that this campaign that contemporary interventions could would provide the basis for considering all well be considered to have enhanced the forms of proposed development in these county and be considered valuable heritage areas. It should be reiterated that there is in the future. It has been difficult to assess no such Society policy and that the work the views of the majority of our Members, of NEPG over a number of years has been as a recent online poll on our Facebook aimed at assisting the County Council page produced very few responses and develop rational and objective criteria for even fewer opinions are provided by post. assessing windfarm proposals, an aim which As mentioned in previous editorials,the has been largely successful and welcomed issue of deciding the Society’s policy on by the planners. controversial matters is therefore difficult, with committee Members, Chairs and CONTENTS ultimately the Society’s Chair having the 2-3 Editorial final say, based on very little Members’ 4-5 County Committee feedback. 5 News from the Office In the case of the Elizabeth Landmark, 5 Picture Puzzle and Quiz John Matthews’ response to the objectors’ 6 Art call for the Society to back them was non- 8 From the Archive committal, as the two Committees had not 10-12 Tyneside Committee agreed on a consistent view. My editorial 13 Chairman’s Message in the February issue was meant to provide 14 Outrage a balance with the well-known campaign 15 Picture Puzzle Keep the Wannies Wild and it acknowledged 16 Recent Events that there were diverse views amongst 18 New Book Members. It was not intended as a policy 19 Corporate Members statement and Members who feel the need 19 Diary Dates • Front cover: All Saints Church cc Heworthjb 19 New Members 2 RAY LONSDALE - SCULPTOR After leaving school Ray Lonsdale from South Hetton in County Durham, qual- ified as a maintenance fitter and began working at Coles Cranes in Sunderland, which closed in 1996. Following the fac- tory’s closure Ray set up his own steel fab- rication business, where he produced bins, seats and railings for local authorities and private clients. He always had an interest in art and at school he was always encouraged to go onto to art college. But it wasn’t until 2007 that Ray decided to start his career in art and changed the name of his business to Two Red Rubber Things (apparently only two people know the reason for this name). The interest in producing artwork devel- oped from 2002 and Ray’s first piece won a competition at the Biscuit Factory. Over the next five years Ray completed more and more artwork and there was a grad- ual changeover from steel to artistic steel work. Ray now has thirty life size statues under his belt and another six large scale pieces, including the Emily Davison sculp- ture (page 6-7) in Morpeth and the ‘Fid- dlers Green’ sculpture of a fisherman on the Fish Quay in North Shields. More details of Ray’s work can be found on his web site: https://www.tworedrubberthings.co.uk Nigel Jenkins Editor 3 COUNTY COMMITTEE PLANNING IN THE COUNTY Since February 2019, Northumberland must take account of these views, they should County Council has had a new Director of not favour any person, company, group or Planning, Rob Murfin. He was previously locality, or appear to be doing so. Decisions Chief Planning Officer at Sheffield City need to be taken in the wider public interest Council, and before that, Head of Planning on what can be controversial proposals. Services at Derbyshire County Council. The National Planning Policy Framework Since settling into post, he has toured and (in this case) the Northumberland the county presenting planning training Local Plan are the key documents that help sessions to parish council members. His inform planning decisions and then at the great enthusiasm for planning, and a clear- more detailed level, the list of Material (and sighted approach to handling planning Non-material) Considerations and the objectives and processes was apparent weight that should be attached to each in in that which I attended as a member of any particular case. An application might Newton on the Moor & Swarland PC. broadly accord with the local development Having often been mired in discussions plan and appear suitable for approval unless about planning applications where local material considerations indicate otherwise. feelings have run high, I found it refreshing At Parish level, proposed developments to be reminded of the clear basic principles. can appear unsatisfactory or downright Planning decisions must strike a balance objectionable to individuals and Parish between ‘harm and benefit’ whereby, Councils for a variety of reasons, and under the Presumption of Development many residents will submit responses to recommendation, permission is granted the County Council. Parish Councillors unless the “adverse impacts of doing so would are well aware of material considerations, demonstrably outweigh the benefits”. The though not all local residents are, and often Local Government Association publication ‘waste’ objections by focussing on non- ‘Probity in Planning: advice for councillors material factors such as “I will lose my view” and officers making planning decisions’ (no-one has a right to a view) or “I wouldn’t (LGA, 1992, rev. ed. 2019) states that: trust the applicant an inch – he’s just out Planning decisions are based on balancing to make money” (only the application and competing interests and making an informed not the applicant can be judged). Knowing judgement against a local and national policy most people’s dislike of change, Rob Murfin framework in the wider public interest. suggests that an objective appraisal should Planning affects people’s lives and land and distinguish ‘change’ from ‘harm’ as well property interests, particularly the financial as applying other tests. For those of you value of landholdings, and the quality of their who aren’t familiar with the list of material settings. Opposing views are often strongly considerations, they are Design & Visual held by those involved. Whilst councillors Impact; implications for Privacy, daylight, 4 & sunlight, Noise, smell, & pollution, Access & traffic, Health or Health & PICTURE PUZZLE Safety, Crime (if relevant); the impact on Ecology & landscape and the Economy; Planning history & related decisions; and Cumulative impact. However, though they are a matter of law, the weight given to each is a matter of judgement by planning officers, and “Planning Committees enjoy extensive discretion within the rules”. As I write this, I realise that at every stage of the process it’s easy to lose sight of the ‘clear basic principles’ I mentioned at the beginning, which is why planning decisions so often reach a conclusion on a majority The February issue’s picture puzzle was the rather than a unanimous vote. interior of St Michael and All Angels, Al- Suzanne Stanley nham, which has been recently beautifully refurbished, with loose seats replacing the NEWS FROM THE OFFICE pews, making it much more flexible in use. Unfortunately, it seems to have been far too Subscription reminders remote for any Member to recognise. Members will receive a letter from me around one month before your subs are due. Thank you to everyone who has signed up to our new Direct Debit system ‘Go Cardless’. If you have received your reminder letter and have not yet paid, please go ahead and do so as soon as possible – your subscriptions are vital the Society’s future welfare. Thank you. A warm welcome to our new members: Mrs C Pyle N&N QUIZ Jesmond Residents Association We hope everyone is in good health and good Ms J Jewitt spirits during the lock down, and to help stimulate the little grey cells, here is a rather AGM tricky quiz, compiled by Chris Sayers of the At the time of writing the AGM is still Events Committee. postponed due to the ongoing lockdown You can either print the quiz off and return situation. However, the accounts will be it to the office or complete it online by going available to view on the website in early to https://forms.gle/UvH7TT5tD4MGYS9FA May. The closing date is 31 May 5 ART EMILY WILDING DAVISON SCULPTURE – A PIECE OF PUBLIC ART by debates over whether to replicate Emily (as with busts of notable figures in the Town Hall) or to design something that reflected, but acted more as an expression of her, what she stood for, and as a stimulus to debate and exploration. This continued as a key conversation when NCC committed to funding a sculpture in 2018 as part of marking the centenary of some women getting the vote. The choice of sculptor was hotly debated with many frustrated at the appointment of a male sculptor, let alone one based in County Durham. In the long run, however, this proved an inspired choice as there was a skill, materials, scale and energy brought by Ray Lonsdale which melded the industrial past of the region (and the country) and male and female energy.