Get Carter car park

Owen Hatherley ( In praise of Brutalism , 27 July) criticises the demolition of the car park in Gateshead featured in the film Get Carter . As the local MP, I can tell him that people in Gateshead are very keen that it is replaced by a long overdue £150m redevelopment of the town centre, which had been blighted by this unused and unsafe car park. The film will keep it alive forever, but the vast majority of the Big Society in Gateshead are glad to see the back of this monstrosity – and in these days of localism, their views should come first. Ian Mearns MP Labour, Gateshead