smoggeordie 0 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a hotel at the top of Newcastle’s iconic Grey’s Monument were yesterday consigned to the dustbin. The NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) and Newcastle City Council had spent nearly £200,000 on Hotel Monument before it was even given the go-ahead. About £174,000 was spent on Hotel Monument, with a further £20,000 going on administrative and planning costs. The city council contributed £35,000 of this, with NGI stumping up the rest. And last night, after plans for the scheme were rejected by councillors and described as “an act of vandalism”, questions were asked about the taxpayers’ bill. Plans for Hotel Monument, including a hotel bedroom with bathroom built on scaffolding 150ft up Grey’s Monument, were put before members of the city council’s development control committee after a row over the handling of the decision last year. In 2008 officers granted planning permission using delegated powers, after briefing senior councillors on the controlling Lib Dem executive and local members. The project was eventually shelved after problems finalising the details. This year councillors were invited to make the decision and voted nine to one against granting planning permission, on the grounds that the structure would not fit into its surroundings. During the planning meeting Liberal Democrat councillor Marc Donnelly said: “From what I can see it’s an act of vandalism on a world famous historical structure. Many people visit the city and occasionally see buildings shrouded in scaffolding. This is what’s being proposed here, to shroud an important symbol of Newcastle. It looks like some alien structure has landed in Newcastle. “Earl Grey has had a fantastic view for 171 years looking over historic Newcastle. Now he’s going to be shrouded by some monstrosity.” Coun Anita Lower said: “Maybe I’m just a philistine and don’t understand it. But Grey Street is a real jewel in the crown in the city. “A lot of people come here to see it and we’re going to give them a monument surrounded by scaffolding. No matter how you look at it it’s a plywood box, surrounded by scaffolding, with a hoarding and concrete barrier at the bottom. I don’t see how it does anything to enhance the city, it’s a blot on the landscape.” Newcastle’s Labour leader Nick Forbes said: “I’m astonished that such a large amount of public money could be spent on a project while there were risks around the planning process. “It’s not acceptable to throw vast sums of public money at speculative, controversial art projects. If there was £200,000 to spent why not spend it on opening up the Monument to the public? This would have a benefit for more people.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 When I heard about this I couldn't make head not tail of the idea. Wtf? Is it genuine or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonatine 11542 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Legit apparently http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/may/...otels.newcastle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonGoodwyn 1 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howay 12496 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 So they were wanting the monument to be inside this room? What a bunch of fucking doylems man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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