Susan was the chairperson who oversaw a hearing in January 2021 for an application by a consortium headed by Ray Crosby and Debbie Webster to demolish the non-terraced side of Coronation Street and the surrounding area and build a high-rise development of swanky flats in its place. The application faced fierce opposition from many, though not all, of the area's residents.
Ray and Debbie attended the hearing in person, with Roy Cropper representing the opponents, most of whom had to watch by video-link due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ray acted jovially as he came in and was quickly asked to take a seat by Susan. Debbie's evidence was that due to the pandemic the area needed a fresh start and new beginnings while Roy tried to argue that the development would create bottlenecks in the Weatherfield West area with subsequent effects upon the traffic leading into Salford and Manchester. He also pointed out that affordable housing in the area would adversely be affected and the heart of a community ripped out.
After hearing the evidence, Susan announced that the panel had granted the application and advised Roy that the decision could be challenged. A few hours later, she met Ray, who she already knew very well, for a drink in his Chariot Square Hotel, where he thanked the crooked civil servant for her cooperation in granting the application, however it had come at a price: a week or so later Ray admitted to Debbie that he had had to financially bribe Susan to get her to agree.
A few days later, Susan demanded to see Ray at the hotel. Roy was applying for a judicial review of the application which put her on the spot in more ways than one and she felt she needed an exit strategy which she demanded he fund to the sum of £20,000, otherwise she would claim he threatened her to do his bidding if she was questioned. Ray had had a day when all his carefully laid plans were starting to unravel and reacted with incredulity to this latest turn of events.
Some time after, Susan came back to Ray in the hotel in a panic after hearing that he had been arrested for the attempted rape of Faye Windass, demanding to know what he had said to the police. He assured her they were still in the clear and she that mustn't blow their plan by spending her bribe on flash cars or anything else which would draw attention to them. What neither of them knew was that Abi Franklin had gone to the hotel to dig up dirt on Ray and, from a concealed position behind the bar, had recorded their incriminating conversation on her mobile phone. When the footage was distributed, Susan was arrested on suspicion of bribery, and an emergency meeting of the planning committee was been called to reconsider and subsequently reject the planning application.
- The character was credited as "Chairperson" in her appearances but first named in dialogue in Episode 10223/4 (15th January 2021).
List of appearances[]
2021