Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland Labour MP, Tom Blenkinsop, today (5th November 2015) welcomed the “great news” that Redcar and Cleveland Council’s regulatory Committee had unanimously rejected a planning application by Coast and Country Housing that would have seen the loss of a much loved community hall in Loftus through conversion to a dwelling house. The hall, the Luke Senior Community Centre on Rosedale Crescent has been operating since the 1950’s.
Tom, who had also objected to the plans, said “I thank local Loftus Labour Councillor, Eric Jackson, for formally moving the rejection of Coast and Country’s plan and all the members of the Committee for supporting him. It was clear that Coast and Country Housing had not thought this proposal through properly, had not consulted the local public and just simply did not grasp the public anger over this move.”
“The building is a valuable resource housing community activities, acting as a “hub” for the neighbouring Mars Estate and being a well-used polling station. I would hope the unanimous rejection and the attendance of many local residents at the Committee hearing will dissuade Coast and Country from appealing this decision, and that they will now, instead, work with the local community to protect and build up the usage of this valuable community facility”