Lighting concerns

A MAJOR new office development for South Shields must not create ‘muggers’ alleys’, a councillor warned.

Bosses have predicted the flagship Glassworks office project at Mill Dam, in the Harton Quay area of the town, could support up to 1,500 jobs. But while the plans have been given the go-ahead, bosses behind the scheme have been urged to address concerns raised over lighting at the site.

“The only thing that concerns me is that there are mixed messages about the external lighting, comments from [residents] about light pollution from the outside lights and then comments from the police about the lack of lighting causing shadowed areas,” said Cllr Gladys Hobson.

“I’m quite happy to [approve the application], but I think we need to look carefully at the outside lighting to make sure the police are happy and there aren’t any ‘muggers’ alleys’ or dark areas where people can lurk and that the residents are happy the light is not intrusive upon their properties.”

Cllr Hobson was speaking at Monday’s meeting of the borough council’s planning committee.

Comments submitted by Northumbria Police’s ‘Designing Out Crime’ team were largely supportive of the proposals, claiming the development would ‘provide natural surveillance’ of the area and ‘re-purpose a vacant space’.

But it also called for an ‘external lighting strategy’ to be approved for the building, suggesting current plans could be ‘inadequate from a crime and safety perspective’.