North Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee granted permission for building a two story medical centre on Pocket Park in Monkseaton at its December meeting. There had been 451 objections from local residents and a well organised campaign from the ‘Save Pocket Park’ group. The decision contravenes the Council’s own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework, both of which aim to protect urban green spaces from development.
Green Party activist, Richard Smithson, who was at the meeting said “This Labour dominated council clearly can’t be trusted on environmental issues and a dangerous precedent has been set for further development of Greenfield sites in the Borough”