Insight
Our client Ellandi commissioned us to protect the vitality and viability of a designated District Centre in Blaydon from a speculative development of retail that was on an edge centre site.
Idea
We first of all communicated with local and strategic councillors, ensuring they understood the threat the speculative proposals were to the existing district centre.
We then identified supportive third party advocates in the form of local and national retailers based at the district centre who would face a potential loss of footfall if the proposals were approved.
Finally, we provided those identified with information that they could use when approaching Gateshead Council to discuss the application to refute the applicants’ statements.
Impact
Gateshead council received objections from, amongst others, Morrisons, Home Bargains, Costa and Boyes (national retailers) and many of the local occupiers.
Councillors took the information provided and used it in discussions with officers
The group that formed to protect the District Centre then lobbied councillors to ensure they could feel confident they had business support if they were to choose to reject the proposals at committee.
The views of councillors and the community were communicated to the speculative applicant who then withdrew the proposals in advance of going to Planning Committee.
