City leaders slammed for missing crunch vote on controversial Gentoo housing plans in Washington

Land which had been due to be developed by Gentoo

Proposals to build on the land at Willows Close were rejected after concerns were raised about the loss of green space in the area.

But it also prompted one senior city councillor to speak out after just four members of Sunderland City Council’s nine-strong Planning and Highways Committee were available to vote.

“I’m very concerned about using green space for development, but on the other hand I am also a strong supporter of social housing and all of these 13 properties are for rent,” said Cllr Melanie Thornton, who also chairs the panel.

“It is a very difficult decision to make and for it to be made by only four members [of the committee], I have to express concern to my colleagues on the committee about their non-attendance.

“I don’t think I can let this meeting pass without making comment on the poor attendance this evening.

“I understand it’s December 23, but if people feel that strongly then they should be in attendance.”

Cllr Thornton was speaking at a meeting of the panel, which was held by videolink and broadcast via YouTube.

It marked the second time the application had gone before the committee, after a November meeting, at which seven out of the nine were present, saw councillors request a deferment to allow them to visit the site.

Cllr Thornton added the subsequent attendance at the meeting had left her ‘disappointed’.

Apologies were submitted ahead of time by Cllr Claire Rowntree and Cllr Geoff Walker.

Cllr Fiona Miller and Cllr Heather Fagan did not attend and no apologies were read at the start of the session for them.

Cllr Peter Walker briefly attended before withdrawing after declaring a conflict of interest as an employee of housing provider Gentoo, which had submitted the application.

The four attending councillors, Dom Armstrong, William Blackett, Len Lauchlan and chairman Cllr Thornton, voted unanimously to reject the plans.

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