The High Court has ruled that the demolition of 118 homes by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council was unlawful. As part of a Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder scheme the Council had acquired the flats and houses in several streets in Bensham. The Secretary of State had firstly made a screening direction that Environmental Impact Assessment was required. He then decided that EIA did not apply to demolition and so revoked the direction.

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A conservation group has been awarded legal costs after a judge declared that Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council's demolition of more than 100 homes under Labour's axed housing renewal scheme had been unlawful.

SAVE Britain's Heritage had obtained interim injunctions to halt the demolitions of around 118 housing market renewal pathfinder homes, but these were ultimately discharged by the courts in November 2010 and the council began demolition work.

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