We are the forgotten

I was born in Houghton during the Second World War and I have to disagree with the so-called ‘planner’s objections’.

We down in the deep south of the city boundaries and nearer to County Durham facilities are the forgotten ratepayers of Sunderland. These city planners have proved many times in the past what they can do in misinforming our councillors. Look at the millions lost through the yes/no debacle with the old Vaux site and many more.

What they need to examine are the shopping habits of the majority of Hetton and Houghton communities who have their own transport, yes cars. This is the 21st century and it is the way well over 90% of us conduct our weekly shopping.

Locally we have always had little choice (Co-op/ Lidl ) for weekly shopping. When it comes to supermarket shopping within the city boundaries we have Sainsburys Washington 10 miles, Wessington Way 10 miles, Silksworth eight miles, Asda Grangetown nine miles, Washington 10 miles, Morrisons six miles – or do we venture into County Durham limits, Asda Seaham five miles, Peterlee six miles, Tesco Dragonsville five miles, you get the drift – it’s a no brainer.

We’ve always shopped mostly out of the Sunderland City limits, so where are the planners perceived benefits now? It never really matters where these out of town shopping facilities are created, there’s one thing for sure, this proposed development at Houghton would be a massive benefit to our community and yes I will, and still do, shop in Front Street, Hetton, and Newbottle Street, Houghton, and proud to keep the little local businesses ticking over.

The traffic problem is a Smoke Screen. John Richardson