inside: 21st century city, walker riverside, eldon square, ouseburn valley, science city and much more...
Welcome to Newcastle Newcastle is enjoying unprecedented levels of growth and investment. Building on internationally recognised, award-winning regeneration schemes like East Quayside and Grainger Town the City Council is embarking on a whole new regeneration programme which will transform large parts of the City Centre and the residential areas along the Tyne riverside over the next 15 years. Our ambitious plans for Science City will include the development of one of the biggest city centre regeneration sites in the UK, whilst further high profile schemes such as the Discovery Quarter, Walker Riverside, Newcastle Great Park and Ouseburn Valley are shaping the profile of a fast developing and vibrant European City.
www.newcastle.gov.uk
Editor Julie Mackintosh julie@3foxinternational.com Head of Sales George Haynes george@3foxinternational.com Senior Designer Faine Gow faine@3foxinternational.com Production Manager Lucy Morris lucy@3foxinternational.com Managing Director Toby Fox toby@3foxinternational.com
welcome Regeneration is nothing new to Newcastle.
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Indeed, previous major regeneration schemes like East Quayside and Grainger Town have been recognised nationally as examples of best practice which have transformed key areas of the city. But Newcastle isn’t resting on its laurels. We now stand on the verge of a whole new round of regeneration and development in the city centre and also in the east and west ends with multi-million pound schemes drawing in massive public and private investment. The likely scale and pace of change will be impressive.
Images Newcastle City Council, Napper Architects, Admiral PR & Marketing, Seven Stories, Centre for Life, The Biscuit Factory, City ID, Infinite Design, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Capital Shopping Centres, Sage Group Plc, Newcastle University, Karol Marketing, Charles Church, Places for People Group, xsite architecture. Published by 3Fox International Limited 3rd Floor Lansdowne House 3-7 Northcote Road London SW11 1NG T: 020 7978 6840 F: 020 7978 6837 For Newcastle City Council
Paul Goodwin, Sector Development Officer paul.goodwin@newcastle.gov.uk Subscriptions and Feedback To register for free subscriptions and/or to offer your comments visit www.renaissancenewcastle.com
Projects under construction such as the Eldon Square shopping centre extension and Newcastle Great Park (pages 27 to 31 and 45 to 49) are dramatically changing the city’s retail, commercial and residential profiles. And Newcastle’s nomination as one of the UK’s six Science Cities is fuelling an ambitious commercial, academic and development programme known as Science Central (pages 17 to 19). There is a great deal under way. For example, we are leading the transformation of the Ouseburn Valley, working with partners Places for People in Walker Riverside and will shortly be seeking architects for the development of an innovative Housing Expo project in Scotswood. So, welcome to Renaissance, the magazine that will chart our progress, describe our goals and aims and present the extraordinary investment opportunities we are making available. Newcastle is building a new and exciting future for investors, developers and residents alike and we welcome you to our fast growing city.
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strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or Newcastle City Council.
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newcastle: 21st century city
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science city
discovery quarter
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walker riverside
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newcastle great park
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6&20. advertisement features: hanro group, royal haskoning
page 50
Ads. advertisers: newcastle city council, cundall, gavin black, beyond green, capita symonds, capital shopping centres, sanderson & weatherall, turley associates, llewelyn davis yeang, priority sites, mott macdonald, newcastle international, encia group, asda, northern rock 041 05
The Hanro Group: In the heart of the city Top Left: Citygate, St. James’ Boulevard, Newcastle upon Tyne Bottom Left: The Printworks, a regeneration project in the City providing 40 residential units Left: The Strawberry, Discovery Quarter. The site of Hanro's proposed mixed use regeneration scheme.
Bob Nicholson, the Group’s Managing Director states “Although there is an argument for us seeking to expand the investment portfolio out of the area, and we have acquired and are currently seeking opportunities throughout the North of England, the local market is an arena that we know well. This does help to substantially reduce the risks associated with the geographical concentration”. Adam Serfontein, a Hanro Group Director, adds “The rationale for our development activity is to create investment stock for the Group to hold in the medium term and, having regard to the opportunities that exist for regeneration in and around Newcastle, it is likely that our development activity will remain concentrated in this area. There are a lot of exciting opportunities out there and as we concentrate on the retail and office sectors, these tend to be redevelopment opportunities of brown field sites”.
The Hanro Group is a privately owned Property Investment and Development Company based in Newcastle.
THE HANRO GROUP
What makes the Group stand out is the fact that approximately 50% of it’s £120 million property investment portfolio is within the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. Furthermore, the significant majority of the £100 million development programme is also within and around Newcastle City Centre.
Holland Park, Holland Drive, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4LZ Tel: 0191 261 1777 Fax: 0191 261 2777 Email: ajs@hanrogroup.co.uk
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Bob Nicholson responds by confirming “In the last eighteen months we have completed over 300,000 sq.ft. of mixed use accommodation within the City with plans to commit to a similar amount of accommodation before the year end. As we have a track record of delivery, and take very seriously the representations of the City’s Regeneration Team, we are always confident of finding some sensible middle ground and progressing matters”. “Whilst this continues to be the case we will continue to concentrate our development activity in this area. We are particularly enthusiastic about the mixed use development which we see as the way forward to maximise the opportunities that exist in the City Centre. The interrelation of office, retail, hotel and leisure uses complement one another, create an attractive and secure environment, and add significant amenity value. The team is very excited about the opportunities that remain in and around the “Discovery Quarter”, particularly given Newcastle’s recent “Science City” status. The fact that Newcastle City Council, together with their development partners, have actually purchased the former brewery site is a significant achievement and bodes well for the continued regeneration of the area over the course of the next ten to twenty years.
The Hanro Group’s next major development centres upon a two acre site bounded by Gallowgate and Strawberry Place, right in the heart of the City Centre, favourably positioned between Eldon Square and the aforementioned Science City redevelopment area. The development plans, which are at an advanced stage, allow for a 100,000 sq.ft. landmark office building, a hotel with a capacity of up to 160 beds, a medical centre, which will provide significant amenity to this location, associated car parking and support retail facilities. Subject to continued Local Authority support, a planning application could be submitted and determined, to enable a start on site toward the end of this year. The Strawberry scheme will make a significant contribution to the City’s growing office market and strengthen the link between the Science City campus, St James’ Boulevard, and the City Centre. John Miller, Head of Sustainable Development at Newcastle City adds “The Discovery Quarter is the City’s major investment opportunity and the provision of new office and hotel space will strengthen its economic base in the region and provide a major employment boost. The site has served the City well as a surface car park for a number of years but the prospect of major new employment opportunities is timely and exciting. We look forward to receiving a planning application from the Hanro Group”. Hanro are committed to environmental protection and take very seriously environmental issues within their developments. Adam Serfontein comments; “As we are both developers and long term owners of the properties, we are in a position to clearly see the advantages which offset the marginal increase in the capital costs of development. Indeed as evidence of this, at Citygate, Hanro achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating. This is one of two private sector commercial buildings in Newcastle City Centre to achieve this.” The Hanro Group is a significant player in the City who is committed to the City. Their track record of delivery looks set to continue.
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right: art on the quayside and cafe culture outside the theatre royal below: the millennium bridge over the river tyne attracts many visitors
newcastle: 21st century city A straight forward approach to key challenges is behind Newcastle’s ongoing regeneration. “First, cities have to identify their assets and make them work hard in the global economy,” says Newcastle City Council’s assistant chief executive, Paul Rubinstein. “At the same time they must address internal and external perceptions by building a positive brand that is backed by real action; and the third part of the holy trinity, as it were, is a genuine ownership of the regeneration process by a wide range of stakeholders and communities. “I would argue strongly that you can’t have a successful economy without the right infrastructure and without people having a sense of optimism. But investing in the physical fabric is not enough. You need a strong and positive economic base.” Of course, Rubinstein would be the first to acknowledge that the practical implementation of his “holy trinity” is far from simple. But judging by the smart Quayside, flourishing cultural offer and leading business sectors, Newcastle, Gateshead and the surrounding city region have made huge progress. Words associated with Newcastle 20 years ago included dirty, declining and old. These days the words cultural, innovative and young are more likely to spring to mind. It acts as the core city within a wide conurbation of one million people and has the confidence associated with a regional capital. But there is still room for improvement, as Rubinstein concedes: “We’ve still got a way to go. For example, our company formation rate could be better and some of the sectors in which we excel need to be strengthened.” To this end, Newcastle City Council, with its private sector partners, is promoting a number of regeneration schemes including Science City, the Discovery Quarter, Newcastle Great Park and Ouseburn Valley to improve the city’s economic profile and performance. Population loss – mainly to other areas of the North East – is another of the city’s major challenges. Lack of housing choice has been identified as one of the main factors behind the depopulation. The need for more family housing is being addressed at Newcastle Great Park and Walker Riverside, to name just two of the city’s new residential schemes. “Newcastle Great Park is one of the largest developments in Europe and will have a significant impact on the region by keeping people in the area and offering an easier lifestyle where everything is on your doorstep,” says regional director of Persimmon Homes, Peter Jordan. 081 09
Charting Newcastle’s regeneration story is illuminating. “I would take as a starting point the decision by Northumbria Water in the 1980s to invest significant resources over a long period in cleaning up the River Tyne,” says Rubinstein. That was the catalyst, along with the remediation of land for the Gateshead Garden Festival in 1990, for the creation of our now vibrant riverside and all of the great residential, commercial and cultural developments we have there today.
below: the sage gateshead
“It also addressed people’s aspirations. You have to remember that this was a city associated with industrial decline. Residents, businesses and investors were lacking in confidence. Was this a city where you could make a go of it? If you went to university here, would you want to stay? There were lots of doubts and questions. That is why creating iconic projects such as the Angel of the North, the Centre for Life, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and the Sage Gateshead were so important as they delivered the unthinkable. The NewcastleGateshead Initiative has been key to growing our aspirations.” Partnerships have been crucial to marketing Newcastle, both internally and to the wider world. Anne Mulroy, director of Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Bridging NewcastleGateshead says: “So much has been achieved in regenerating Newcastle because we are working together. Our partners include local authorities, agencies and private sector partners. We are also committed to engaging effectively with local residents and listening to their views on how we can bring lasting change to their communities.” The NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) was founded between the neighbouring councils in 2000 to promote the city region jointly for the first time. It has a board of directors that includes representatives of the business community. “I know it’s a cliché but we realised we could achieve more together,” says Rubinstein. “Local authority boundaries don’t mean very much in terms of the economy,” he adds, observing that the Sage Gateshead’s location south of the Tyne “was clearly the most suitable place for such an ambitious project” even though it serves both Newcastle and Gateshead, as well as the wider region and further afield. NGI chief executive Andrew Dixon agrees: “Quite simply, NGI would not exist were it not for the continuing commitment and shared aims of both Newcastle and Gateshead councils.” He cites future goals as increasing tourism figures and building on the conurbation’s reputation for unique world-class events. In May last year, regional development agency One NorthEast launched a national marketing campaign with the tagline “Passionate People, Passionate Places”. Chief executive Alan Clarke says: “How our region is perceived both within the North East and externally is vitally important to our success and economic prosperity. Quite simply, if North East England is to achieve the regional, national and international recognition that it deserves, we must significantly increase awareness of our superb assets, unique selling points and many successes.” 101 11
“Investment in the 21st Century is based on intellectual assets,” Rubinstein continues. One of the city’s chief asset is arguably its wealth of world class scientific and technological research and businesses. From cutting edge advances in the fields of ageing and stem cell research at the Centre for Life, to the achievements of the city’s universities, to the phenomenal rise of home grown software company Sage Group Plc, the knowledge sector has become one of Newcastle’s USPs. This was acknowledged in 2004 when Newcastle was awarded Science City status and a share, along with two other cities, of £100 million by chancellor Gordon Brown. The Newcastle Science City Partnership was formed between One NorthEast, Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University, supported by the NHS Primary Care Trust, institutions such as the Centre for Life and the local business community. Paul Walker, chief executive of software company Sage Group Plc, is chairing the partnership.
right: china town in the discovery quarter below: ellipsis eclipses, a landmark sculpture situated outside the gate, grainger town
“Newcastle and the wider region can boast some very high quality universities, delivering cutting edge research and educating the scientists of tomorrow,” he says. “We have numerous sci-tech, start-up and incubator businesses and a track record of responding innovatively to change.” The Partnership recently purchased 5.9 hectares of the Scottish & Newcastle Breweries site in the city centre with ambitious plans to develop Science Central, a powerful knowledge cluster for scientific research, teaching and businesses. But this won’t be just another enclosed business park (see pages 17 to 19). The vision for Science Central is a 24-hour mixed-use integrated city quarter. “The passion in Newcastle is second to none,” Walker observes. “People here really believe in the region and its capabilities – you only have to look at the rapid regeneration of Newcastle Quayside, which now boasts a vista on a par with any other city in the world, to see what the people here are capable of. “All the foundations are here in the region and the Science City initiative is all about developing these skills and qualities in a way that will bring more jobs, boost the economy, enhance the city’s reputation and develop science, technology and innovation in our schools and colleges.” Design, another sector in which Newcastle and the city region excels, is again something of a catch-all. “This covers everything from urban design to product design, to our strengths in fashion and the creative industries,” says Rubinstein. “Newcastle is a brilliantly designed city and that great architectural tradition continues today.” The iPod music player was the brainchild of a Northumbria University graduate and, through its regeneration of the historic Ouseburn Valley to the east of the city, the council intends to boost the city’s flourishing creative industries. In recent years, Ouseburn has been quietly attracting arts, crafts and multi-media businesses to its converted post-industrial factories and buildings. By capitalising on the area’s aquatic location and proximity to central Newcastle, the city council hopes to deliver 28,000 square metres of new and refurbished workspace, including live/work units, and new residential and leisure attractions along with around 600 new jobs. Located on the Ouseburn Valley riverside, Seven Stories the Centre for Children’s Books, was opened last year by author Jacqueline Wilson. Tourism is big business for the city, with 2.5 million visitors generating an estimated £550 million annually. The conference market alone, which has trebled since 2002, is now worth £75 million a year. As a tourist
destination, Newcastle was recently voted “best city to visit in England” by “Guardian/Observer” readers. It’s not difficult to see why: the city is synonymous with fun, boasting a plethora of restaurants, bars and clubs, a fantastic retail offer (see pages 27 to 31), art galleries and cultural attractions including the Baltic, the Sage Gateshead, Theatre Royal and the Discovery Museum. All this is surrounded by some of the UK’s most stunning countryside. Ultimately, Newcastle’s regeneration is about making the city a better place to live, work and visit. The constraints of the past have been, or are being, tackled to entice businesses and residents to the area and to improve the prospects of those already there. At around five per cent, unemployment is still above the national average. “Fundamentally, regeneration is about improving quality of life for all of our residents,” says Rubinstein. “Job creation is really important. Our vision is for a high skill economy but with entry points at all levels and training to support this. In science, you need people with doctorates, yes, but you also need lab assistants.” Newcastle City Council is targeting deprived areas to ensure that benefits are shared. Scotswood in the west end (see page 50) hopes to host an international housing expo, the UK’s first, in 2009. Demonstrating cutting edge approaches to urban living, the expo will provide the catalyst for developing around 1,500 new residential units and a new community in this deprived area. The need for improved housing choice, especially at the top end of the market, is also being addressed with 4,500 new homes planned at the Newcastle Great Park and Walker Riverside schemes (see pages 45 to 49 and 33 to 37, respectively). Mary Parsons, business development director of Places for People, which is a developer partner on the latter project, says the company had “no hesitation” in making a 15 year commitment to Walker Riverside. It seems that Newcastle’s target of growing its population from 270,000 to 286,000 by 2020 is realistic. Two statistics shine through: Northumbria University has a graduate retention rate of over 50 per cent and, for the first time in 30 years, the area has seen a reversal in migration trends with more people coming into than leaving the region. The city’s renaissance is well under way. 121 13
10 things you might not know about Newcastle 1. Seven bridges link Newcastle and Gateshead.
property consultants and advisors
2. The city centre has more listed Georgian buildings than anywhere else in England other than Bath. 3. The song “She Loves You” was composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in The Imperial Hotel in Jesmond. 4. Around 600 bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale are brewed every minute. 5. Newcastle United record victory came against Newport County winning 13-0 on October 5th 1946. 6. Property prices increased by 30 per cent in 2003 alone. 7. The Focus Retail Demand Report 2005 ranked the city number one for prime shop demand from leading retailers. 8. The Gateshead Millennium Bridge won the RIBA Stirling Prize for Building of the Year in 2002. 9. Mosley Street was the first in Britain to be lit by electricity. 10. Earl Grey tea originated from Ringtons in Newcastle.
above: newcastle’s action packed city centre below: shopping on grey street, grainger town
Success story: Grainger Town Confidence in Newcastle’s massive regeneration programme is supported by what the city has already achieved. “In terms of addressing the physical regeneration there have been marked achievements of national significance,” says English Partnerships area director Steve Gawthorpe. “I would highlight the work at Grainger Town and the Quayside, along with the partnership between Newcastle and Gateshead.”
Specialising in n Strategic property advice n Development and asset management n Development option studies and appraisals
GAVINBLACK & PARTNERS
184 Portland Road, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 1DJ.
Chief among Newcastle’s regeneration success stories is Grainger Town. Designed by John Dobson in the 1830s, it was once one of the smartest areas in the city in which to live, work and visit. But by the 1990s, Grainger Town was in steep decline. In 1997, with over half of the area’s beautiful listed buildings classed as “at risk”, and almost 100,000 square metres of vacant floorspace, Newcastle City Council embarked on a £120 million regeneration programme. Project Director Chris Oldershaw (now overseeing Gloucester’s regeneration) professed himself “daunted” by the 35 hectare task. Nine years on, with around 200 apartments boasting some of the highest values in the city, alongside theatres, galleries, a thriving retail offer, sought after commercial space and The Gate leisure complex, Oldershaw’s fears have been allayed. Grainger Town has also gained critical acclaim, winning the British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) best practice award in 2001. “The area is being transformed in a way that would not have seemed possible a few years ago. It is clear that the remarkable partnership of public sector, local businesses and the local community is contributing greatly to its success,” proclaimed BURA.
Tel: 0191 230 2777 Fax: 0191 232 7374 E-mail: gavin@gavinblack.co.uk 141 15
> the scottish & newcastle brewery site will become home to science central
Beyond Green is a very different kind of consultancy. Our unique multi-disciplinary approach enables us to apply the principles of sustainable development to housing, regeneration, place-making, urban design, architecture, lifestyles and communications. Our approach helps to create communities that are more sustainable, places that are more successful, and ways of living that are healthier and happier. Our work ranges from planning the largest sustainable urban extension in the UK for up to 25,000 new homes at Harlow North, through sustainability protocol and policy development work, to “Bespoke Green” - tailored sustainable lifestyle consultancy for businesses and individuals, not to mention regular sustainable lifestyle slots on programmes like ITV’s This Morning and Tonight with Trevor McDonald.
science city
Beyond Green has worked with Newcastle City Council on some of the city’s major regeneration projects. We developed and delivered innovative and highly regarded “community enquiries” combining sustainability, meaningful community engagement, masterplanning, and urban design, which acted as catalysts for both the Walker Riverside and Scottish and Newcastle Brewery schemes. Beyond Green has now chosen Newcastle as the base for our first UK office outside London, following our establishment of an architectural and urban design division in Copenhagen. The Newcastle office will handle regeneration and sustainable development assignments for local authorities, developers, and land-owners in the North East and Scotland. To find out how Beyond Green can help your organisation, please contact the head of our Newcastle office, Greg Stone on 07747 862582, email greg@beyondgreen.co.uk, or alternatively contact our London office (see below).
1 Albemarle Way, London, EC1V 4JB Tel 0207 549 2184 info@beyondgreen.co.uk www.beyondgreen.co.uk
In brief: For over 100 years it was one of the city’s major employers, but in 2004 Scottish & Newcastle Breweries announced the closure of its Gallowgate plant. With the production of the famous Newcastle Brown Ale transferring to another brewery in neighbouring Gateshead, eight hectares of prime city centre land was about to become available for development. At the same time, just a couple of miles across town, Newcastle City Council had formed the Newcastle Science City Partnership with regional development agency One NorthEast, Newcastle University and others. Under the chairmanship of Paul Walker, chief executive of software company Sage Group Plc, the partnership aims to capitalise on Newcastle’s newly acquired “Science City” status under the government’s programme. Its goal is to build on the region’s reputation as world leader in scientific research, to create employment and prosperity. Enter the brewery site. The council purchased 2.1 hectares last year and the partnership recently purchased the remaining 5.9 hectares. Science Central, the prime focus for Newcastle’s Science City ambitions, was born. It will provide a location and create a knowledge base for scientific teaching, research and business. But this won’t be just an upmarket business park. Instead, Science Central will become a mixed-use, fully integrated city quarter in which to live, work and relax.
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science city:
science central is a new mixed-use area with a world leading scientific and technological community at its heart.
In his 2004 Budget, chancellor Gordon Brown announced that Newcastle, York and Manchester were awarded “Science City” status. Britain needs to build on its scientific genius, said Brown, announcing a raft of measures including the removal of tax barriers for university spin-off companies. In addition, the new Science Cities gained a share of £100 million to be distributed by regional development agencies such as One NorthEast over the subsequent six years. “The chancellor’s announcement was a real vote of confidence in the scientific agenda that the North East is pursuing,” says One NorthEast chief executive Alan Clarke. “The region is now very much at the cutting edge of research and development in areas such as life sciences.” Newcastle’s Centre for Life is a case in point: its scientists are pioneering stem cell research to tackle diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes. Other fields in which Newcastle’s research institutions excel include ageing, energy technologies and molecular engineering. Newcastle intends to use Science City status to build on and expand its existing strengths to become a world centre for science and technological research and business. With the goal of injecting £6 billion into the local economy and creating thousands of jobs, the Newcastle Science City partnership includes One NorthEast, Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University, supported by the NHS Primary Care Trust, institutions such as the Centre for Life and the local business community. By fortuitous coincidence, just when the partnership was looking for a base for its ambitious operation, Scottish & Newcastle Breweries announced its intention to transfer production from its city centre plant to a facility in neighbouring Gateshead. The chance to acquire eight hectares of land was dubbed by Clarke “a once in a lifetime city centre development opportunity”. First, Newcastle City Council bought two hectares from the brewery in a £10 million deal funded by Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Bridging Newcastle Gateshead. Then Science City Partnership purchased the remaining six hectares. The brewery site will become Science Central, the focus for Science City and home to world class scientific research, teaching and business facilities. A powerful knowledge
right: stem cell research in newcastle below: artist’s impression of science city
cluster will be created with research bodies and hi-tech companies sharing information. But that’s not all. Last year, along with local landowner Downing Developments (which controls a neighbouring site), Newcastle City Council commissioned consultancy Beyond Green to identify the local community’s aspirations for the entire former brewery complex and suggest possible development options. “The Beyond Green survey was intended to stimulate ideas and investigate the possibility of mixed uses on the site,” says Newcastle City Council project manager Tom Quigley. Local people expressed a strong desire for the brewery site, which has been largely inaccessible to them, to be reintegrated with the city centre. Beyond Green, which held various public consultation exercises and also liaised with other design professionals as well as the council, found that neighbouring business and residential communities want to see a new permeable quarter, with workplaces, shops and public spaces. “It was a pleasure to work on the project, as residents have a real passion for their city,” says Beyond Green chairman Jonathan Smales. “They appreciate this is perhaps the most significant area of land to become available for development in Newcastle for 100 years. The feedback we received was that local residents and businesses want the brewery site to become a vibrant, mixed-use place that everyone in the city can use.” However, the Beyond Green consultation doesn’t represent a formal masterplan. The next step for Science Central is to establish a legal agreement between the three lead partners. This will clarify their vision for the project and was close to completion as Renaissance went to press. Once the exact components of the scheme have been agreed, probably later this year, masterplanners will be appointed. A business planning exercise will also be commissioned to determine costs and schedule. Quigley confirms that the council has received lots of interest in its plans. Meanwhile, existing brewery buildings must be demolished before work can begin. Surveys to assess remediation requirements are now under way and residential development could begin as early as next year. 181 19
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> stephenson quarter
> central station
> centre for life > citygate
> st james’ gate > five phase project > st james’ boulevard
> discovery museum
> vico properties proposed st james’ sq > calders’ lead works > newcastle college
discovery quarter In brief: With its ambitious plans to become a new mixed-use district and a world leading business and research destination, Science Central (pages 17 to 19) is the Discovery Quarter’s largest regeneration project. But exciting plans aren’t restricted to the former Scottish & Newcastle Breweries site. The remaining 85 hectares, located to the west of the city centre stretching from the Gallowgate area down to the River Tyne and to the south of Central Station, hold some pretty impressive development potential themselves. Much of this can be attributed to the opening in 1996 of St James’ Boulevard, from Redheugh Bridge into the heart of the city. “I’m not aware of any other UK city that has fitted a new front door in recent times,” says Adam Serfontein, director of developer Hanro Group. “Before the Boulevard opened, access was via the Tyne Bridge. It has really allowed the regeneration of the area to begin.” The five phase, council-led project just off St James’ Boulevard is one example. It includes Dance City, a new dance studio and academy, and City Quadrant. Developed by Amco and Ashtenne Residential, City Quadrant comprises 60 apartments, 2,000 square metres of office, and over 3,000 square metres of retail and leisure space, centred on a public square. Other phases include a 150-room Holiday Inn Express, a multi-storey car park and Centralofts, an award winning mixed-use scheme by London and Regional Properties. Centralofts is a renovated art deco warehouse boasting 83 residential apartments with 24-hour concierge, and a ground floor offering commercial space. Napper Architects, which designed the scheme and its public realm, moved its offices to Centralofts last December. “It’s great to occupy a building that we designed,” says director Eric Carter.
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right:
discovery quarter:
st james’ gate and the
the area holds significant development opportunities close to the city centre and will be key to the regeneration of the neighbouring west end.
Much has been achieved since the regeneration of the Discovery Quarter began less than 10 years ago. To the south west of Newcastle’s Central Station, St James’ Gate is now complete and the first phase of the McAleer and Rushe development includes the North East’s largest hotel, a 274-bed Jury’s Inn. The first 5,500 square metre office building is now home to law firm Watson Burton and international accountancy practice Baker Tilly. The second 7,700 square metre building, is 55 per cent let to investment bank UBS and The Big Lottery Fund. Building three is also complete with 143 apartments and 1,800 square metres of commercial space, a third of which will become a drop-in medical centre. To the north of the Discovery Quarter, developer Hanro Group’s Citygate scheme offers 15,000 square metres of office space over two buildings with tenants including the Government Office for the North East, Scottish & Newcastle Breweries and accountants Ernst & Young. In conjunction with Bellway Homes, Hanro has also developed 57 apartments. Bordering Newcastle’s compact city centre, which has little scope remaining for large scale development, the Discovery Quarter makes for an excellent business location. “Citygate is only five minutes’ walk away from the heart of town and this proximity, especially to retail facilities, is very popular with office workers,” says Hanro Group director Adam Serfontein, who is also working on a development at nearby Strawberry Lane. “When we were looking for a large mixed-use development site, the Discovery Quarter was the most suitable location available given its proximity to both the city centre and the railway station,” adds Stephen Surphlis, property director at McAleer & Rushe. For Newcastle City Council, a key element of the regeneration is its predicted effect on the deprived areas of the city’s west end. One of the key principles, agreed with Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Bridging NewcastleGateshead, is to support development in neighbouring deprived areas including Cruddas Park, Elswick and Arthur’s Hill. The Discovery Quarter takes its name from the area’s educational heritage, as it is home to the famous Centre for Life and Discovery Museum, the latter attracting 450,000
discovery museum below: centre for life
visitors last year as one of the North East’s most popular attractions. The museum is within the impressive Blandford House building, but much of the surrounding Blandford Square is under utilised. The City Council would like to see it incorporated within a mixed-use scheme set around a new public square. Just beyond the Discovery Museum, discussions are ongoing with Vico Properties about the future possibilities for their key 3 hectare site, dubbed St. James’ Square. Across the road, Newcastle College is redeveloping its campus with fantastic results. It opened a groundbreaking 250-seat Performance Academy in 2004, offering recording studios, production facilities, rehearsal rooms, a television studio and a radio station. College estates manager Jeff McColl highlights two further projects: first, a Lifestyle Academy with a bistro staffed by students, hairdressing and beauty training facilities and a gym, due to open in September. The second scheme involves Grade II listed Rye Hill House receiving a £7 million makeover to become the new student services and administration headquarters. Potentially, the southern end of the Discovery Quarter could become a new riverside destination to rival the city’s Quayside. However, this area is problematic in regeneration terms and highways infrastructure and servicing provision particularly need to be improved. One of the major sites was home to lead works for two centuries until 2000. Although bought by Bellway Homes three years ago, the nine hectares hold various challenges including level changes, remediation requirements and poor road access. Bellway has proposed a predominantly residential scheme, which is still in the planning process. Arguably the most exciting development to come forward is Silverlink Property Development’s Stephenson Quarter. The three hectare site behind Central Station contains engineer Robert Stephenson’s workshops where “Rocket”, one of the first railway locomotives, was assembled. Silverlink’s ambitious mixed-use proposals are at an early stage but are likely to include a four-star hotel, office space, conversion of listed buildings (in consultation with English Heritage and CABE) for residential, and small business use and artists’ workspaces. 241 25
> eldon square attracts 25 million people a year and is one of the UK’s top ten shopping centres.
Responsible Regeneration At Capital Shopping Centres we believe in long term investment - as we have demonstrated in our partnership with Newcastle City Council. For over thirty years, we have worked successfully together to maintain the City’s position as one of the country’s top ten shopping destinations. We are a company that takes our responsibilities very seriously. Through our ongoing programme of modernising and remodelling, we aim to provide better facilities, better shopping and more job opportunities. And we do this responsibly so that the whole community benefits, striving to create the best
eldon square
environment, using solutions that will be as good tomorrow as they are today. Capital Shopping Centres - working for a better tomorrow.
What? A £170 million refreshment and extension of Eldon Square shopping centre, at the heart of Newcastle’s retailing offer. Three projects are planned: a new state-ofthe-art bus station; an additional retail mall alongside the redesign and upgrade of the public realm at Old Eldon Square; and the demolition and rebuild of the southern end of the shopping centre to incorporate larger format shops and a department store.
When? The bus station will open in Spring 2007. The 40 Broadway, London SW1H 0BU T: 020 7887 4220 F: 020 7887 4225 www.capital-shopping-centres.co.uk
new mall and Old Eldon Square are scheduled for completion in early 2008. Construction of the 44,000 square metre rebuild should be finished by Autumn 2009.
Why?
“It will enable us to provide modern transport facilities and other customer services as well as a new department store and the large format retail space desired by today’s retailers – which are not currently available in the city centre,” says Kay Chaldecott, managing director at Capital Shopping Centres.
Who?
Eldon Square is owned by Capital Shopping Centres (60 per cent) and Newcastle City Council (40 per cent). CDA Architects is designing the bus station, new mall and Old Eldon Square. Leslie Jones is architect for the redesign of the centre’s southern end. Sir Robert McAlpine will construct the first two phases.
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artist’s impression of the new restaurants
the eldon square shopping centre refurbishment and extension will help to fulfil intense retailer demand in newcastle city centre.
The people of the North East are famed for their love of shopping. There is, say retail experts, a greater propensity than elsewhere for the region’s population to spend, rather than save, their disposable income. It’s hardly surprising then, that retail demand consistently outstrips supply and that Newcastle – as regional centre – has become the focal point for this activity. The Focus Retail Demand Report 2005 ranked the city number one for prime shop demand from leading retailers. The supply/demand disparity is a problem, but it’s not a bad problem to have, concedes Bob Fletcher of retail agent Sanderson Weatherall. He has been marketing Eldon Square shopping centre in the heart of the city since 1982 and believes that its planned refurbishment and extension will go some way to addressing excess demand and providing the type of space required by modern retailers. “Newcastle’s retailing reputation was built on the back of Eldon Square. The city centre is a very desirable location for national, multiple and niche retailers with its accessibility to a strong office market and the students of our two universities,” he says. “There is also an excellent public transport system.” Two thirds of trips to the city are made by public transport, which compares favourably with similar-sized conurbations. The 89,277 square metre Eldon Square mall is home to around 150 stores including John Lewis and is linked to Fenwick and Marks & Spencer. Despite attracting 25 million visitors each year, owner Capital Shopping Centres (CSC) and Newcastle City Council aren’t resting on their laurels. Eldon Square is set for a £170 million refreshment and a 30,000 square metre extension through three key projects. Firstly, the outmoded bus station will move to a modern facility at street level. Secondly, an additional mall will increase the retail offer and improve pedestrian links between the north and south of the shopping centre, while the public realm at Old Eldon Square is to be remodelled to provide a new focal point for shoppers. Finally, the southern end of Eldon Square will be demolished and rebuilt introducing 44,000 square metres of new (and around
that will front old eldon square below: improvements to blackettbridge
30,000 square metres of additional) retail space, including a 16,250 square metre department store. Given the amount of planned work, one could be forgiven for thinking that Eldon Square is in a dismal state. But, as CSC’s managing director Kay Chaldecott points out: “Eldon Square is one of the UK’s top performing shopping centres, illustrated by the ongoing demand from retailers. Refurbishment and remodelling is a continual process in any large shopping centre, keeping it fresh and up-to-date.” One aspect of the development that is in need of real change is the bus station. Newcastle City Council identified its upgrade as a priority several years ago. “We held a national design competition for ideas to revamp the bus concourse,” explains Newcastle City Council group manager for traffic and project management Peter Wightman. “People struggled and that’s not surprising. It has a typical 1960s design and the lighting and ventilation are poor.” The winning entry came from Edinburgh architect Comprehensive Design, which changed the location to the open air of Purdhoe Street, just outside John Lewis. The new bus station will be light and airy. The architect worked to the theory that the bus station should be the same quality as an airport lounge. “Design standards for bus stations have improved dramatically in recent years and Eldon Square raises the bar for the next generation. Good design can be used to encourage people to take the bus by improving the overall experience,” says CDA. With an estimated cost of £11 million the new facility is expensive and is funded by the central government’s Local Transport Plan. Construction began in April 2006 and is scheduled for completion in Spring next year. The removal of the old bus station allows for the construction of a new, 15-unit mall. Linked through an airy atrium to the mall above, it will improve access to and from the soon-to-be-remodelled southern end of the shopping centre. There will also be two restaurant units with access onto a refreshed Old Eldon Square. 281 29
At a glance: Eldon Square attracts 25 million shoppers per year. Built between 1970 and 1973, it is among the UK’s top 10 shopping centres, according to Trevor Wood’s “Going Shopping 2004”. One million people live within 30 minutes’ drive. When Eldon Square opened in the 1970s, rental values were second only to Oxford Street in London and Princes Street in Edinburgh. Eldon Square’s shoppers are 80 per cent female and 20 per cent male.
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58 per cent of customers are ABC1.
above: view from the new cafe in eldon square
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eldon square is at the heart of the city
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“The design has also carefully incorporated the listed frontages in Clayton Street,” says Chaldecott. “The fully glazed roof of the double height mall will provide a light airy feel and some 30 stores will meet retail demand for large format space, trading on two levels.” Fletcher confirms that discussions with retailers, keen to secure their place in the new Eldon Square, have already started.
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Newcastle 0191 261 2681 Teesside 01642 870870 Leeds 0113 369 6000 London 020 7851 2100 Manchester 0161 615 7000 sandersonweatherall.com
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Designed by Leslie Jones Architects, the new southern end will have a more outward-looking design than the 1970s original, with lots of glass and active street frontages. This will enable Eldon Square to integrate with the existing city centre and relate to neighbouring thoroughfares and attractions such as leisure complex The Gate.
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The southern end has never traded as well as the north due to the smaller size of its units. It is also home to the Green Market, an indoor emporium selling everything from cakes to cleaning products. Operated by Newcastle City Council, the market will continue to feature in the new scheme.
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Meanwhile, the southern end of Eldon Square shopping centre is set for demolition. Around 16,000 square metres will be replaced with 44,000 square metres of new retail space, including a 16,250 square metre department store.
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The current design cuts off the public space at Old Eldon Square from the rest of the city. A glass-fronted mall facing onto the square and the introduction of café culture will transform the area. The new mall and Old Eldon Square should be unveiled in early 2008.
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Commercial Street Shopping and Leisure development, Darlington
Quayside House, Newcastle
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Baltic Business Quarter, Gateshead
Rotterdam House, Quayside, Newcastle
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No. 1 St James' Gate, Newcastle
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHUMBRRIA CIVIC CENTRE
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www.turleyassociates.co.uk
> a total of 2,200 new homes will be built at walker riverside over the next 15 years.
walker riverside Last year, the first show homes of the £525 million, 2,200-unit Walker Riverside regeneration were unveiled on the Cambrian estate. Feedback from local people about the two-storey three-bedroom and the three-storey four-bedroom houses has been excellent. Eighty seven per cent say they would like to live in a house of this type and over 90 per cent rated them either “excellent” or “very good”.
Our Director Team in Leeds
“I was surprised at the high specification of the house and I hope that all of those built are to the same standard.” Andy Rollinson
Paul Singleton
Matthew Sheppard
We have a highly successful track record in advising on and promoting development revitalising and regenerating towns and cities throughout the UK. Please contact us on: 0113 386 3800
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PLANNING & URBAN DESIGN
“I’ve been to properties built by other companies and these houses are of a far higher standard.” “The doors were nice and wide. I was very impressed and I loved the décor.” 321 33
BELFA S T | B I R M I N G H A M | B R I S T O L | E D I N B U R G H | G L A S G O W | L E E D S | L O N D O N | M A N C H E S T E R | S O U T H A M P T O N
walker riverside:
with 2,200 new homes planned over the next 15 years, walker riverside will be transformed into a vibrant mixed-use, mixed-tenure community just two miles from the city centre.
Dominated by social housing, increasing levels of dereliction and dwindling local amenities, Walker Riverside has recently been an area in decline. Yet this rather negative depiction belies many of the East End neighbourhood’s strengths, such as its location just two miles from the city centre, strong family and community networks and access to lots of open, if currently under utilised, public space. There is also, as the name suggests, Walker’s waterfront location. Of course, some might argue (and it would be difficult to contest) that its greatest strength is the £525 million mixed-use regeneration project that will transform Walker into a popular mixed-tenure neighbourhood. As Peter Aviston, Newcastle City Council’s corporate project manager, points out the scheme has the long term commitment of the public and private sectors. “At the moment, Walker offers limited choice,” he observes. “Over the next 15 years housing, shops, schools, transport, education and health services will improve to create a vibrant local economy. Many people who grew up in the area would like to stay, but with very little diversity in housing tenure they move elsewhere.” The Walker Riverside Partnership (see panel) plans to reverse Walker’s population loss, which has seen resident numbers fall from 15,000 to 13,000 during the past decade. If that trend continues the population could be down to just 10,000 by 2015, putting the viability of services such as a post office at risk. The Partnership is taking a holistic approach to the regeneration of Walker Riverside. As well as constructing 2,200 new homes (almost 80 per cent of which will be for sale), the heart of a revitalised Walker Riverside will be a new local centre with a primary school, retail, leisure and community facilities. A new primary healthcare centre is planned, while accommodation will be made available to community initiatives such as parent and toddler groups. Walker Riverside Park, which is currently perceived to be dangerous, disconnected and uninspiring, will be transformed to offer a variety of activities and
right: showhome in the cambrian development below: new communities at walker road east
environments for the entire community. A series of “green fingers” are proposed to link the park to the core of the Walker Riverside area. Three “early action areas” – the Cambrian estate, the Western Gateway and Walker Road East – are now under development. First residents will arrive at the Cambrian estate’s 143 new homes this summer. Places for People is working with Bellway Homes and Enterprise 5 Housing Association to deliver affordable homes for sale and rent. Phase one (a) has 29 homes for rent developed by Enterprise 5 with funding from the Housing Corporation and Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Bridging NewcastleGateshead. Phase one (b), with 27 units for private sale by Bellway Homes, will be onsite in September. The rest of the Cambrian will be built over the next three years with an eventual tenure mix of 57 per cent private and 43 per cent affordable housing. “What most attracted us to Walker Riverside,” says Peter Davison, development manager of Bellway Homes, “was firstly that the scale of the proposals are bold enough to be genuinely effective in the long term transformation of a part of Newcastle which is experiencing real decline. Secondly, to rise to the challenge of bringing not only high quality new homes but also training, employment and investment.” The new-look Cambrian already has the approval of the local community following the opening of two show homes last year. “They have played a vital role in demonstrating to residents the type and quality of homes they can look forward to,” says Anne Mulroy, director of Bridging NewcastleGateshead. The second early action area is the Western Gateway, which marks the entry point to Walker from the city centre. Around 250 homes will be built overlooking the Tyne, with views back to the Quayside and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Places for People is developing Western Gateway with a potential tenure mix of 70 per cent private to 30 per cent affordable, a substantial proportion of which will be available for shared ownership. 341 35
World Class Regeneration Delivered from Newcastle
architecture planning design
Walker Riverside is being regenerated through an equal partnership between Newcastle City Council and Places for People, a property management and development group. Working with the Partnership on the £525 million regeneration are: Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Bridging NewcastleGateshead; housing developer Bellway Homes; Enterprise 5 Housing Association; and Walker & Riverside Community Network. Lleweyn Davis Yeang worked as masterplanner on the development. Funding will be drawn from various sources including land sales (the council owns 85 per cent of land in Walker Riverside), Bridging NewcastleGateshead and English Partnerships.
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Llewelyn Davies Yeang (LDY) is dedicated to being the world leader in signature green buildings and sustainable masterplans, offering clients the benefit of over 45 years’ experience in delivering socially, economically and ecologically responsible solutions. From policy, through design, to delivery, clients benefit from a multi-disciplinary, integrated approach that provides award-winning solutions. Their expertise covers a broad range of sectors including mixed use, residential, regeneration, education, healthcare and transportation. LDY offer a full range of services from their Newcastle office including: Policy & Research, Development Planning, Urban Design & Masterplanning and Architecture. 2
01 St James Place Major city centre mixed use scheme promoting family living.
02 Elswick Spatial Development Plan Plan for future change, reinvigorating and keeping the community alive.
03 Cambrian Bespoke scheme for new homes designed with and for the existing community.
04 Walker Riverside Strategy, Masterplan and Vision for the regeneration of Newcastle’s East End.
For further details please contact: Matt Verlander or Nicola Woodward Llewelyn Davies Yeang Cale Cross House, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6SU T 0191 269 2969 E newcastle@ldavies.com www.ldavies.com
Llewelyn Davies Yeang (LDY) are a company of international repute. They are prize winners for work in urban planning and for exceptional architectural projects across the world. They are a firm that has been at the forefront of the urban renaissance agenda – in fact driving and helping shape it – for over a decade. In Newcastle and the North East LDY have been driving change for many decades – from the laying out of Washington New Town through work for the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation to advising a wide range of clients across the region today. The local Practice Directors, Nicola Woodward and Matt Verlander, moved from LDY London to establish the Newcastle office in 2002 and haven’t looked back since. Over the last 4 years Nicola and Matt have worked across the city for both public and private sector clients helping to shape its renaissance.
In the East End of the city, LDY (working for the Places for People Group) led the master planning work that developed the strategy, master plan and vision for the regeneration of Walker Riverside. But, LDY are not just about strategising they are also about delivery. In Walker they designed and secured planning permission for two show-homes in line with the highest Lifetime Homes and Eco Homes standards. They also worked with the residents of the Cambrian estate to design a bespoke scheme for the provision of new homes for them. This helped kick start one of the city’s most important regeneration projects and LDY is proud to note their vision is now being delivered on the ground. In the West End, Scotswood and Benwell is a key regeneration priority but one that will not be delivered successfully until the
communities between it and the city centre are regarded as places of choice. In this respect LDY have been playing a key role. LDY is currently working with Vico Properties to bring forward the £200 million St James Place scheme within the Discovery Quarter, providing a full range of services including development planning, urban design and architecture for this key gateway site. This project comprises new family housing, neighbourhood centre, student accommodation, offices and a hotel. LDY are very excited about the regeneration effect this development will have. This will be the first scheme in recent years to promote high quality city centre family living in Newcastle. A further stepping stone on the way to Scotswood and Benwell is the community of Elswick. Here LDY were commissioned by Newcastle New Deal for Communities, Bridging NewcastleGateshead,
Newcastle City Council and Your Homes Newcastle to develop a strategy that contributes to the City’s regeneration but also uses future change to keep this community alive and to reinvigorate it – not demolish and replace it. LDY’s work in Newcastle is not just limited to these key regeneration areas. They are also providing development planning and urban design advice across the city to private and public sector clients. This includes the Building Schools for the Future programme, a £135 million development project for schools in Newcastle as well as major research projects for the Northern Way team. In short, LDY are well placed to continue to contribute to and help shape the renaissance of Newcastle and the wider region.
walker riverside’s proximity to the city centre below: walker riverside as it is today Planning permission for around 110 mixed-tenure residential units (which comprises of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes and two-bedroom apartments) is due to be lodged early summer with work scheduled to begin in September. “Every site in Walker has its own unique characteristics but the Western Gateway sites occupy a great location,” says Mary Parsons, business development director for Places for People. “It’s an excellent opportunity to extend the convenience of city living in an area that’s ideal for families.”
Timeline: Medium term (development to start in four to seven years) • Church Walk – residential, retail and mixed-uses. • The Walker Road “Boulevard” – to be transformed into a vibrant public space that showcases Walker with the emphasis on the environment and services. • The Community Focus – plans for an improved leisure facility alongside a state-of-the-art sports and education campus, new retail, a community resource centre and housing.
The last of the early action areas already under development is Walker Road East. Work will begin this summer on 35 new homes for sale, rent and shared ownership. Another area due to be redeveloped is Pottery Bank. One of Walker Riverside’s most stigmatised locations, it is characterised by void properties, high turnover of tenants and difficulties in re-letting. Newcastle City Council recently decided to demolish 71 properties as part of the current regeneration. Four hundred and fifty family homes will be built in their place, 80 per cent for private sale and 20 per cent for social rent (reversing of current owner/occupier statistics). As Renaissance went to press, the timeframe for Pottery Bank’s demolition and rebuild was under discussion. This is just the beginning: more opportunities will come to the market over the 15 year lifespan of the regeneration scheme. Aviston agrees: “The partnership is taking a long term approach to regenerating this area. Given its river views, proximity to the city centre and significant potential, this is completely understandable.” 361 37
History In The Making
> ouseburn valley covers an area of 100 hectares, and is a designated conservation area with unique heritage features.
Playing our part in the regeneration of The Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle
ouseburn valley SteenbergsYard, Stepney Bank, Ouseburn
Newcastle City Council, “Regeneration Strategy for Lower Ouseburn Valley,” January 2003. “By 2010, the Lower Ouseburn Valley will be a thriving, sustainable, urban village in a unique riverside location. The best heritage features of the area will have been preserved and enhanced within a vibrant townscape and an attractive landscape that will reconnect people with the diverse natural environment. A wide range of businesses especially those related to creative, innovative, multi-media and cultural activities will be prospering.
A joint venture between_
“The valley will also be home to a stable, mixed residential community. A wide variety of services and leisure opportunities will be available for residents, employees and visitors to the area.”
www.prioritysites.co.uk A different kind of property development company_ 381 39
right:
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the biscuit factory
Its riverside location, rich industrial past and cultural present are inspiring the creative industries, providing fertile ground for the city’s most interesting leisure pursuits, and making residential and commercial developers take note.
The backdrop to Newcastle’s industrial revolution, the Lower Ouseburn Valley was once a lively quarter filled with glassworks, tanneries and flint mills. Although the overcrowded tenements that housed factory workers are long gone, the heavy industries left a surprisingly romantic legacy. Ouseburn is still characterised, in parts, by the historic buildings of Victorian Newcastle. The once bustling Ouseburn River might be quiet except for a variety of small boats, but it is about to experience another revolution as a new waterside community emerges. The Ouseburn Trust was formed in the 1990s by a group of people who are passionate about the area, and in 1999 Newcastle City Council - working with the Trust - launched the Lower Ouseburn Valley Regeneration Strategy with its vision to deliver around 28,000 square metres of new and refurbished workspace, £140 million of private and £12 million of public sector investment. The programme will create new jobs and an exciting live, work and play destination close to the city centre and the already regenerated East Quayside area. The term “urban village” is attributed to all manner of less deserving neighbourhoods, but Ouseburn truly lives up to the title. The area has been attracting an artistic community for over two decades. In fact, says sculptor Fiona Gray, Ouseburn was one of, if not the only, place for artists to work in Newcastle. She is now based at the 36 Lime Street co-operative, which has been offering affordable studio spaces since the 1980s. As countless examples around the world have proved, a burgeoning artistic community is a successful catalyst for wider regeneration. Last year, a Grade II listed former flour mill by the river was beautifully converted into the award winning Seven Stories, the UK’s only exhibition space dedicated to the work of children’s writers and illustrators. Next door Ouseburn Farm, an environmental training, education and visitor centre, was completed late last year. Ouseburn’s first purpose-built theatre is under construction within 36 Lime Street. Meanwhile, further up the Valley, The Biscuit Factory is Britain’s biggest original art store with more than 3,250 square metres of exhibition space and two floors of artists’ studios.
and lime square below: seven stories, the centre for children’s books
The current regeneration programme, under the guidance of the Ouseburn Advisory Committee, will expand the area’s strengths. There are already 300 businesses based in the area, which Newcastle City Council aims to increase to at least 400 by 2010. Companies looking to relocate will be spoilt for choice, with plenty of units of different sizes, at various stages of completion. Project North East has just finished the first four units at its 500 square metre Woods Pottery development and is preparing to submit a planning application for a further 1,600 square metres of small to medium sized business accommodation at Woods Pottery South. Meanwhile, Priority Sites (a joint venture between English Partnerships and Royal Bank of Scotland) is about to apply for planning consent for its 2,800 square metre commercial scheme at Upper Steenberg’s Yard offering long lease and freehold units between 186 square metres and 370 square metres. “We have already received strong enquiries from potential occupiers,” says senior development manager, David Codling, who points out the “significant regeneration potential” that Ouseburn holds. Priority Sites hopes to begin construction this autumn with completion expected in September 2007. Recently purchased by Gaba Properties, 7-17 Lime Street is destined to become an office/commercial development, while AWG Developments has approval for over 9,000 square metres of office space at East Quayside. It will include an additional 1,500 square metres of leisure space and 61 apartments. Ouseburn is also an up and coming residential location. Commenting on the investment potential offered by the valley David Leslie, consultant to property agent Sanderson Young, says: “People should remember what the Quayside used to be like compared with now. The same thing is happening in Ouseburn.” Developers Metier and Howard Holdings have just completed the area’s first major residential-led scheme at Lime Square. Most of the 104 one- and two-bed apartments, as well as three penthouses and four city houses, have already been sold at prices ranging from £149,950 to £399,950. Lime Square also has a 401 41
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We cover the full spectrum of environmental services including: Air quality • Contaminated land • Ecology • Environmental assessment and audit Environmental economics • Environmental management systems • Green engineering Health and safety • Hydrogeology • Hydrology • Industrial chemistry • Landscape architecture • Master planning • Noise and vibration • Site drainage engineering Statutory planning • Strategic environmental assessment • Sustainability appraisal Urban design • Waste management • Wastewater treatment
Jane Barron T +44 (0)20 8774 2727 E jane.barron@mottmac.com Kevin Leather +44 (0)113 394 6719 E kevin.leather@mottmac.com T
400 square metre flexible office building available for let or purchase. Metier recently gained permission for 112 residential units at Tyne Square (formerly the Ice Factory). Meanwhile, developer Harrison has started construction of 107 one- and two-bed apartments and three-bed maisonettes on the former Porters site on St Lawrence Road. The homes, all of which have been sold already, should be welcoming residents next spring. A new waterside community is being created and although the Lower Ouseburn Valley is already a regeneration success story, the area’s transformation is far from complete. Over the coming years, a stream of new schemes will add to the transformation (see below). And with Ouseburn falling within a Bridging NewcastleGateshead Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder area, development will focus on more innovative, sustainable schemes with a proportion of affordable units and family housing.
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Selected clients BAA plc Boots the Chemist British Telecom Defence Estates EBRD Environment Agency GlaxoSmithKline Highways Agency HM Prison Service Islington Council London Underground Motorola National Trust Newcastle City Council North West Water Powergen Royal Bank of Scotland Shell Thales Vivendi Welsh Development Agency
art by paul harvey at the biscuit factory
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On behalf of Newcastle City Council, we have successfully completed sustainability appraisals for both the Newcastle Great Park and Walker Riverside projects. We have also worked with Tyne and Wear Joint Transport Working Group to deliver the sustainability appraisal for the Local Transport Plan 2.
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The Mott MacDonald Group is a global engineering, development and management consultancy working in all sectors from transport, energy, building, water and the environment to industry, communications, social development, health and education.
SPILLER’S MILL
Coming soon . . . Byker Buildings site – 0.264 hectares Submissions were invited for a residential scheme encompassing 10 to 12 family homes with a 150-year ground lease on this site, neighbouring the Ouseburn Valley, by March 31st. Earlier this year, Newcastle City Council planning officer Clair Battersby says there has been significant interest. More details to be released. Lower Steenbergs site – 0.79 hectares This Quayside site houses the former Maynards Toffee Factory and presents a mixed-use development opportunity. It was due to go to the market as Renaissance went to press. Portland Road – 3 hectares Metnor Properties has assembled this three hectare site at the northern gateway to the Lower Ouseburn Valley and will be bringing forward plans for an exciting retail, office and residential development in the next few months with Phase One due to start onsite later this year. Already here . . . PR company Karol Marketing has been based in the Ouseburn Valley since 1993 and invested in its own award winning premises six years ago. Among its clients are the Newcastle Great Park developers and Walker Riverside regeneration partner, Places for People. “When we chose to convert an old pub on Albion Row into a contemporary office building, most people thought I was crazy,” says company founder Stefan Lepkowski. “But I believe if you are involved in regeneration and from a creative background it is good to demonstrate commitment with your actions.”
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newcastle great park Date
Activity
Late 1980s Original site assembled and development proposed. 1990s
Proposals evolved in response to changing planning circumstances. Site allocated for residential and commercial development in Newcastle City Council’s Unitary Development Plan.
2000
Outline planning permission granted for whole site.
2002
Approval for £60 million Sage Group Plc headquarters and accompanying infrastructure. Construction begins on residential in cell H. Landscaping plans prepared for 600 acres of parkland.
2003
175 homes completed in Warkworth Woods cell H and cell I begins construction. Plans submitted for the business park.
2004
Business park masterplan approved. Continued development of public transport, road systems and connecting infrastructure. Sage Group Plc headquarters and work on the £1.8 million A1 slip road completed.
2005
Revised masterplan submitted for approval. Planning application submitted for 320 homes in cell G. Approval granted for the first commercial building.
2006
500 more homes expected to be complete in Melbury residential in cell I. Work to start on houses in cell G.
2007-2018 Continuation and build out of a new sustainable community, including a mixed-use local centre that will incorporate retail and commercial services, alongside community and residential accommodation. 2014 -2018 2,500 homes complete.
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newcastle great park:
offering 2,500 luxury homes, a high-quality business park and a new town centre with leisure, community and retail facilities just three miles from the city centre.
Set in peaceful countryside just three miles from the city via the A1, Newcastle Great Park is fast becoming one of the region’s most sought after suburbs. Over the next decade, the 484 hectare mixed-use community will boast around 2,500 new homes (500 are already complete and occupied), a town centre with local facilities, lots of open space and a prestigious 80 hectare business park. The scheme is split into nine “cells”, six (D to I) designated for residential and three (A to C) for business, in addition to the new town centre. Housebuilders Persimmon and Taylor Woodrow have formed the Newcastle Great Park Consortium to deliver the ambitious programme. With an overall investment value of £1 billion, Newcastle Great Park is helping to fulfil several of the city council’s strategic regeneration objectives. By offering a mixture of high-quality family homes, it is stemming population loss to other parts of Tyneside (which previously offered more choice at the top end of the housing market) and attracting new residents into the conurbation. This has been one of Newcastle’s main challenges. Council research found that almost 80 per cent of people living in the first 400 homes at Newcastle Great Park would have otherwise migrated out of the city. The scheme is also providing new top-class business space and will have created an estimated 16,000 jobs on its completion in 2018. The vision for Great Park was born in the mid-1980s when Newcastle City Council earmarked green belt land for residential and other uses. The scheme has come a long way since local farmers began to sell land to developers, not least an extensive masterplanning exercise involving close co-operation between the public and private sectors. Its passage through the central government approval process narrowly avoided a public enquiry. The planning approval includes a £23 million section 106 agreement related to road widening, transport, infrastructure and educational facilities. Newcastle City Council senior planning officer Geoff Scott says: “Great Park is providing a wider choice of residential and business space that we need in Newcastle. With 500 homes now complete, the Sage Group Plc headquarters open and other schemes at various stages of planning and construction, things are really starting to take shape.”
right: working life at newcastle great park’s new business park below: home life courtesy of charles church
At the end of 2005, the average house price in Newcastle was £157,449. With the emphasis very much on family and luxury accommodation, homes at Newcastle Great Park cost between £100,000 and £1,000,000. Only a small percentage of the city’s housing stock is detached, leaving it seriously underprovided compared to conurbations such as Manchester and Birmingham. As regional director of Persimmon Homes Peter Jordan points out, Newcastle Great Park aims to redress this balance: “By building premium, detached family homes minutes from the city centre, we aim to plug a shortfall identified in the region and prevent people moving further out of town.” With several housebuilders – Persimmon, Charles Church, Barratt, and Bryant/Taylor Woodrow – involved, Newcastle Great Park should have the natural diversity found in established neighbourhoods. “Designs range from traditional Georgian to ultra modern houses with stunning views of parkland,” says Jordan. “Building will begin soon on Cell G, an exclusive residential area with modern bespoke houses.” Jordan says that properties are selling well (a Newcastle United footballer is rumoured to be among the residents), testament to 20 years of careful planning. “Persimmon and Taylor Woodrow are excited about delivering such an influential project,” he adds. “We both think strategically about where to buy land and the ground work for Newcastle Great Park was put in place in the mid-1980s.” One of the world’s leading software companies, Sage Group Plc, has been based at Great Park since 2004, with its new 100,000 square metre headquarters and 1,000 staff occupying cell B. The consortium envisages Newcastle Great Park as home to regional, national and international companies with flexible units ranging from 280 square metres to 46,450 square metres. Jordan says: “Our ambition is to keep companies in the region, perhaps those which are expanding. It is part of the long-term plan to make Newcastle an essential business hub both nationally and internationally.” Commercial letting agent Knight Frank and Newcastle City Council are now “actively pursuing tenants”. 461 47
ENCIA
Group
Paul Walker, chief executive of FTSE 100 software company Sage Group Plc: Why did Sage Group Plc choose to locate its UK headquarters in Newcastle? Sage originated in Newcastle – it started as a small business on Newcastle’s Quayside. Our business has since grown into an international operation, but our headquarters, and our heart, have always been in Newcastle. And, what made you choose Newcastle Great Park? We had outgrown our premises in Gosforth and ended up with our Newcastle team split across five different buildings a couple of miles apart. We had been looking for some time for the right site which would enable us to build an office that would give us the facilities we needed for our people, and allow for growth. Newcastle Great Park offered the location, infrastructure and the ability to expand in the future. How are you enjoying your new-ish home? We are enjoying it very much. It is a fantastic working environment and a big improvement on what we had before. Once the wider development gets under way it will be even better.
ENCIA
above:
The Encia Group is a UK leader in brownfield land
newcastle great park has been home to sage group plc since 2004
regeneration solutions. The Group employs over 150 specialist staff that provide in-depth Geotechnical
below:
and Geoenvironmental expertise, Risk Assessment,
interior of a charles church home at newcastle great park
Engineering and Remediation Design, Waste and Environmental Management Services.
Construction will begin on phase one, which totals 79,000 square metres over three buildings, later this year. Work will also begin soon on a fully equipped town centre, to be the heart of Newcastle Great Park. Architect Ryder HKS’s design is based on a historical settlement pattern, with Sage Group Plc HQ “acting as a citadel at the top of the hill.
As a multi-disciplinary consulting and contracting organisation, Encia has for over 15 years, delivered highly effective solutions to the major plc national house builders, commercial property developers, regional development agencies, local authorities, banks and lending institutions. Encia's Contracting Divisions can handle the full range of remediation operations from Demolition and Decommisioning through to Land Remediation, Bioremediation and Civils infrastructure design. NorthEast 7EgglestonCourt, RiversidePark MIDDLESBROUGHTS21RU
T01642809088 Yorkshire EnciaHouse, AudbyLane, WETHERBYLS227RD
T 01937589955 NorthWest StoneCrossPlace, StoneCrossLaneNorth,Lowton WARRINGTONWA32SH
T 01942824406
www.encia.co.uk
0800 169 2238
ONESTOP BROWNFIELDR EGENERATION
Plans are still in development, but could include about 4,000 square metres of retail (including a supermarket); leisure amenities such as restaurants, bars, a hotel, health club; homes and community facilities, including a crèche, library and a new primary school. “We have had a great deal of interest in the retail offer and are finalising the agreements for the building of a new school”.
Newcastle housing market A new home at Great Park is likely to cost between £100,000 and £1,000,000. As the average prices below show, this places it firmly at the top end of the region’s property category. • Newcastle Upon Tyne • North Tyneside • Gateshead • South Tyneside • Sunderland
£157,449 £137,872 £123,776 £121,229 £115,099
*Average house prices at the end of 2005, according to the Land Registry of England and Wales.
Sustainability is at the heart of the design ethos for Newcastle Great Park. Housing designs and layout take the emphasis away from on-street parking, for example, to provide a safer environment for children to play. On completion of the town centre, residents will have no more than a 10-minute walk to shops. About half of the 484 hectare site will become publicly accessible open space and will include 26 miles of paths, pedestrian routes and cycleways. There is also a strong emphasis on public transport: a free bus service will operate for employees in the business park until 2009, all homes will be within five minute’s walk of a bus stop and regular complimentary services will operate to nearby Metro stations. 481 49
> the westNEWcastle regeneration will be community led.
westnewcastle regen commitment westNEWcastle, encompassing the areas of Scotswood and Benwell, is the latest of the city’s regeneration
ASDA’s track record in regeneration is second
schemes. Part of Newcastle’s West End, the neighbourhood suffers from the problems common to deprived areas across the country: low income levels; above average unemployment; limited educational attainment; falling population; limited housing choice; lack of facilities and the stigma resulting from these issues.
to none. With a wide range of store formats to suit the needs of any location the company is set to continue to transform a wide range of derelict town centre brownfield sites this year.
Newcastle City Council and Bridging NewcastleGateshead are addressing these problems through the development of an Area Action Plan, which is being driven by community consultation. Since February, there has been a series of consultation events including a stakeholder launch event and ‘One Big Week’ – a week of events that encouraged local people to express their views about the future of westNEWcastle. Following the completion of all consultation, a preferred option for the area will emerge over the next year, from which a series of detailed projects will be taken forward. Great things, however, are already starting to happen. The proposed City West Academy is due to open in September 2008. With 1,800 pupils aged 11-18, it will specialise in information and communications technology (ICT) and business enterprise. The academy is funded by the Department for Education and Skills and a sponsor, Irvine Laidlaw. Newcastle City Council is also spearheading an international housing Expo, the first of its kind in the UK. With the central theme, ‘Renaissance of the Urban Neighbourhood’, the Expo will promote innovative housing designs and the creation of a new, sustainable community in Scotswood. Design consultants, Urban Initiatives are well advanced in preparing a detailed masterplan for a 65 hectare site which could see the development of 1,500 new homes, alongside new community, retail and business facilities. Construction of the homes is due to start in 2008 with a major public event planned for Summer 2009 to exhibit and celebrate the completion of the first phase of around 400 homes. An exciting cultural programme of events and attractions is also planned which will turn the national regeneration spotlight on Scotswood. We will be checking on the progress of westNEWcastle in the next edition of Renaissance or, why not visit www.westnewcastle.com
The company’s 2006 new store development programme got underway at the beginning of April with the opening of its Romford store (03 April). The former Dolphin Leisure Centre site, which had been derelict for eight years, has now been completely transformed and is now home to the new 50,000 sqaure foot store with 229 homes above – incorporating 35% affordable units. Simon Leonard, ASDA’s property communications manager, explains: “Our flexible approach to store development means we often play a part in a wide range of mixed used developments incorporating residential, leisure, educational and community facilities. By having the confidence to make a multi million pound investment in an area, we often act as the catalyst for further regeneration.
“We like to work closely with local authorities and other regeneration agencies to understand local issues and sensitivities and to identify specific opportunities for development which will benefit an area for decades. Our stores are carefully designed to encourage movement with other shops – we’re keen to be part of a vibrant, thriving town centre. “This year’s new store development programme will see lots of exciting mixed used schemes breathing new life into derelict sites and transforming towns and cities throughout the United Kingdom. This year alone our new stores will create over 7000 jobs. “We are committed to building on this success and believe our ongoing development programme will continue to act as the catalyst to breathe new life into even more communities throughout the country.” For further information on ASDA’s development programme please contact Barney Harle, ASDA’s development surveyor, telephone 0113 241 7775 or email barney.harle@asda.co.uk
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northern rock, northern loyalties.
You’ll have seen the Northern Rock name on the shirts of Newcastle United, Newcastle Falcons and Durham County Cricket Club. That we support the region’s sports teams is clear.
Significant expansion of our Head Office in Gosforth involved an ambitious building programme which directed large sums of money into the local building economy. Since then, we have created 500 new jobs within the company.
What isn’t so well known is our wider commitment to the region. We’re the second most charitable company in the FTSE 100 and a huge proportion of our giving is directed towards the North East and Cumbria. Every year we donate 5% of our pre-tax profits to the Northern Rock Foundation. In 2005, this amounted to a remarkable £24.7 million which allowed the Foundation to continue its empowerment of local charities and community causes. Since 1997, we
Northern Rock is one of the lowest cost lenders in Europe. Our interest margins are some of the tightest and give our savers and borrowers excellent value. Our reputation as one of the most cost effective financial institutions in the world goes before us. We’re a global company in terms of where we raise our funds, a national company in terms of where we lend and a local company in terms of where we mainly employ and help people. We don’t have Northern in our name for nothing.
have donated almost £145 million to the Northern Rock Foundation.
www.northernrock.co.uk