Edited sentence: Decisions made about the suburb are heavily influenced by a small but powerful residents body know as the JRA (Jesmond Residents Association) The group regularly lobby the local council when new development is proposed in the area or on matters they feel will benefit the people who have lived there the longest.For all their hard work it is difficult to determine whether this group truly represents the local community, critics argue that the JRA simply stands for an elitist group of residents who are unwilling or unable to adapt to relatively rapid changes to their suburb caused mainly by lifestyle changes associated with the 21st Century.The JRA's lobby tactics have prevented the area from becoming over populated and over run by bars but often their 'build absolutely nothing absolutely no where' remit has resulted in buildings remaining vacant to the detriment of the area.Their militant efforts in shutting down bars has been effective in curbing what the JRA view as unsuitable uses for the area, but has been viewed by some as preventing Jesmond, the Osbourne Road area in particular, from developing fully into a potentially vibrant mixed use area and remains an area that seems to just miss out on being something very special