Marina Neglect

Inspector Knacker · April 16, 2014, 11: PM

Just like the hospital...we can ask the question....' who allowed it to get into that state in the first place....?'.

pensionater · April 17, 2014, 04: PM

I heard whispers that Mandale had done the sewer system on the cheap and it's all collapsing.H.B.C (us) are going to be left to clean up the mess.Probably the reason for the new "Dream",this will be an excuse why it's all getting ripped up .

norfolkngoode · April 17, 2014, 05: PM

That's probably somewhere near the truth pensionater. I had heard a similar story, that the sewage system on the Marina was desperately in need of upgrading for all the new buildings/residents in the area.......

No one wanted to foot the massive bill for the work, and it is now unable to cope with the amount of waste being generated.

steveL · April 17, 2014, 06: PM

You can take your pick who is responsible for the sewage system on the Marina. There were few planning restrictions applied to the Teesside Development Corporation and as a result they were less than diligent when it came to much of the development. Pretty much all of the new buildings down there were connected straight to the existing sewage system put in when the docks were built - OK for a dockland but hardly suitable for a myriad of flats.

When the TDC was wound up it wasn't long before the problem with the sewerage surfaced (pun intended). Neither HBC or Mandale wanted to pay to put it right and probably breathed a sigh of relief when Northumbria Water were made responsible for it. Not surprisingly, having now inherited the whole mess, NW don't want to pay for the repairs either so we are stuck in a 3-way stand off at the moment.

What we need in this sort of situation is Leadership - someone to bang a few heads together ................ and that's where we come unstuck.

eddy · April 22, 2014, 01: PM

Summerhill is still in reasonable nick, althou it is the exception to the rule and I could name one or two things there that could do with smartening up. Actually Summerhill is one of the few places that have become a genuine asset to the council, but thats more down to the leadership and management of the centre on the ground than anything.

The Marina is tragic, the best analogy for that place is the little retail park next to the Historic Quay. Use to have a branch of TK Maxx and Staples, now this flag ship plot has two pound shops. There is no quick and easy fix to this and spending thousands doing a vis render of some more never to be built sky scrapers isnt going to do a thing. It costs about £30 to £50mil to build a decent sized tower, who is paying for that?!

tankerville · April 22, 2014, 05: PM

Without doubt the biggest waste of Government Monies has to be Labours New Deal for Communities I give it's full title, only when it started to go sour was the Labour part removed, it then became NDC.

Money was thrown around like confetti and here we are 10 years later still having properties waiting for demolition had £1 Million + wasted on them. Jobson. Rodney. Carr. Blake. Hopps. Richardson streets.

Salaam Centre. Horizon Centre. H.V.D.A The list is long and would fill this page. But it didn't matter it was there to spend. and spend it they did.

Like kids in a sweet jar they all took what they could.

not4me · April 22, 2014, 05: PM

I was over Summerhill over Easter and agree it's still in reasonable nick but even there you can see the first signs of poor maintenance creeping in. I think it could do with a bit more publicity to attract more people and bolster its income a bit - assuming the council allows the money to be spent on Summerhill itself that is - you never know with this lot.

mk1 · April 22, 2014, 05: PM

Quote from: not4me on April 22, 2014, 05: PM
I was over Summerhill over Easter and agree it's still in reasonable nick but even there you can see the first signs of poor maintenance creeping in. I think it could do with a bit more publicity to attract more people and bolster its income a bit - assuming the council allows the money to be spent on Summerhill itself that is - you never know with this lot.

Be careful what you wish for. As soon as they get a good income stream they will be swamped by councillors trying to get on the board and divert spending into the pockets of friends and relatives.

eddy · April 24, 2014, 02: PM

I have to admit I have a vested interest up there, I helped set up the bmx track and was involved in its running until quite recently. But we only ever dealt with the centre manager and summerhill staff who are a credit to the council. They could do with making more of a fuss about it like but there is only half as many people who work there these days, we have to support chief exec pay at all costs and I understand the good hard working people on the ground are expendable. Café is quite nice there too and seems to be doing well

testing times · April 24, 2014, 02: PM

I see Summerhill as a definite asset but I think we've grown used to how things develop with this council and how things are left to deteriorate over time. I think the important thing when slippage occurs is that it is nipped in the bud quickly - otherwise the neglect will accelerate and be left until a new Government grant comes along to 'regenerate' it. That is now the established cycle operates with HBC.