Do you live, work or study in South Tyneside?

Do these views of the Whitburn Lodge upset you?

Do you think the Lodge is a danger to the public?

Do you think the site promotes a negative view of the village as you approach from the north?

Do you think South Tyneside Council should do something to rectify the above? 

If the answer is “Yes” then sign our petition to register your concerns.

What's next for the Lodge?

The Whitburn Lodge has been a part of our village since the 18th century, but since its closure as a public house in 2013 the condition has rapidly deteriorated. It is now an eyesore and since the large fire a dangerous building.

Time for action

Remember the fire on New Year's Day? Seven months have now passed, and as far as we can see the council has done little, if anything, to address the issue. The lodge is in the same condition as on January 1st. We, the Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum, have asked the council repeatedly for information about their plans for the Lodge but they have not responded to our requests.

Making a change

Together, we can make a change. The council is not working with the residents of Whitburn to improve the Lodge site, and they are even not giving us any information about for instance the cause of the fire, whether the building is safe, their discussions with the owners of the site, and their future plans for the Lodge.

That is why our petition asks the council to take positive action to sort the Lodge out. There are several laws the council can use to make the Lodge site safe and look better, but so far they have chosen not to use their powers. We have listed them below if you would like to see the detail.

Join us in making a difference

If you've been thinking that something needs to be done soon about the Lodge, you're not alone. Sign our petition, which will be presented to South Tyneside Council. Your support can help convince the council to do something positive for our village. Please ensure you add your postcode so that the council will accept the petition.

 

The rules the council can use

Sections 76, 77, and 78 of the Building Act 1984: the council can use these to instruct the owners to, carry out repairs, restore or completely demolish the lodge and remove rubble.  

The council can also use Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1980 to serve a notice on the owners requiring that the situation be remedied if they judge the condition of land or buildings to be harmful to the area.

The council can use section 165 of the Highways Act 1980 to serve a notice on the owners of the lodge (being in a dangerous condition)  as it is abutting a highway.