A Spatial Strategy for Teams "Past, Present, and Future"

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Table of Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................................................. 5 List of Figures ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7 List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10

1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Strategic Purpose........................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.2 Strategic Framework ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 2. Context ............................................................................................................................................................................ 13 2.1 Location and Boundary Justification ................................................................................................................................ 14 2.2 Existing Land Use .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.2 Heritage and History .............................................................................................................................................. 17 2.2.3 Housing ................................................................................................................................................................. 18 2.2.3.1 Longevity and Housing Architecture ............................................................................................................. 18 2.2.3.2 Housing Stock ............................................................................................................................................. 19 2.2.3.3 Property Values .......................................................................................................................................... 20 2.2.4 Recreation and Leisure ........................................................................................................................................... 22 2.2.4.1 Powerleague Club ....................................................................................................................................... 23 2.2.4.2 Cycle Track................................................................................................................................................. 24 2.2.4.3 Public Art.................................................................................................................................................... 25 2.2.5 Provisional Services ................................................................................................................................................ 26 2.2.5.1 Community and Health Services ................................................................................................................... 26 2.2.5.2 Educational Services.................................................................................................................................... 27 2.2.5.3 Retail and Commercial Services.................................................................................................................... 28 2.2.5.4 Industrial Services ....................................................................................................................................... 31 2.2.6 Transport and Accessibility ..................................................................................................................................... 32 2.3 Environmental Context ................................................................................................................................................... 34 2.3.1 Geology and Topography ........................................................................................................................................ 34 2.3.2 Ecology and Biodiversity ......................................................................................................................................... 35 2.3.2.1 Wildlife Corridor .......................................................................................................................................... 35 2.3.2.2 Local Wildlife Corridor ................................................................................................................................. 36 2.3.3 Wellbeing and Recreation ....................................................................................................................................... 37 2.3.3.1 Strategic Green Infrastructure Network ........................................................................................................ 37 2.3.3.2 Public Recreation Space .............................................................................................................................. 37 2.3.3.3 Wildlife Walk............................................................................................................................................... 38 2.3.4 Watercourses, Flood Risk, and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems ......................................................................... 40 2.3.4.1 River Tyne ................................................................................................................................................. 40 2.3.4.2 River Team ................................................................................................................................................ 40 2.4 Social Context................................................................................................................................................................ 41 2.4.1 Demographics ........................................................................................................................................................ 41 2.4.2 Economic Activity and Employment ......................................................................................................................... 41

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2.4.3 Household Data ..................................................................................................................................................... 42 2.4.4 Crime Data ............................................................................................................................................................ 43 2.4.5 Health Profile ......................................................................................................................................................... 44 2.4.6 Neighbourhood Deprivation Ranking........................................................................................................................ 44 2.5 Policy Context................................................................................................................................................................ 46 2.5.1 National Policy ....................................................................................................................................................... 46 2.5.2 Newcastle Gateshead Local Plan 2010-2030 ............................................................................................................. 47 2.5.3 Making Spaces for Growing Places .......................................................................................................................... 48 2.5.4 Gateshead Unitary Development Plan ...................................................................................................................... 48 2.5.5 Teams Neighbourhood Action Plan .......................................................................................................................... 48 3. Issues............................................................................................................................................................................... 49 3.1 S.W.O.T Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................... 50 3.2 Key Issues..................................................................................................................................................................... 52 3.2.1 Lack of Connectivity ............................................................................................................................................... 54 3.2.2 Lack of Housing Uniformity ..................................................................................................................................... 55 3.2.3 Poor Built Environment ........................................................................................................................................... 56 3.2.3.1 Growing Reduction of Open Land .................................................................................................................. 56 3.2.3.2 Poorly Maintained Outdoor Spaces ................................................................................................................ 58 3.2.3.3 Underutilised Buildings ................................................................................................................................. 60 3.2.4 Limited Retail and Commercial Activity .................................................................................................................... 61 4. Strategic Mission............................................................................................................................................................. 63 4.1 Teams Vision 2030......................................................................................................................................................... 64 4.2 Aims and Objectives....................................................................................................................................................... 64 5. Strategy ........................................................................................................................................................................... 65 5.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................................................... 66 5.2 Public Realm Enhancement ............................................................................................................................................ 67 5.2.1 Cycle Track Expansion ............................................................................................................................................ 68 5.2.2 Outdoor Spaces Improvement................................................................................................................................. 69 5.2.3 Enhancing the Street Environment .......................................................................................................................... 70 5.3 Equalising Socio-Spatial Activity ...................................................................................................................................... 73 5.3.1 Community Centre Expansion ................................................................................................................................. 74 5.3.2 Art Interventions .................................................................................................................................................... 75 5.3.3 Supporting Gallery Facilities .................................................................................................................................... 76 5.4 Commercial Development ............................................................................................................................................... 77 5.4.1 Retail Zone Upgrade ............................................................................................................................................... 78 5.4.2 Commerce in the Gallery ........................................................................................................................................ 79 5.4.3 Supporting Gallery Facilities .................................................................................................................................... 80 5.5 Future Housing Developments ........................................................................................................................................ 82 5.5.1 Clasper Village ....................................................................................................................................................... 83 5.5.2 Gasworks Site Redevelopment ................................................................................................................................ 84 6. Implementation .............................................................................................................................................................. 85 6.1 Overview ....................................................................................................................................................................... 86 6.2 Strategy Implementation ................................................................................................................................................ 87

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6.2.1 Public Realm Enhancement ..................................................................................................................................... 87 6.2.1.1 Cycling Track Expansions .............................................................................................................................. 87 6.2.1.2 Outdoor Spaces Improvement ...................................................................................................................... 90 6.2.1.3 Enhancing Street Environment ...................................................................................................................... 91 6.2.2 Equalising Socio-Spatial Activity .............................................................................................................................. 93 6.2.2.1 Community Centre Expansion ....................................................................................................................... 93 6.2.2.2 Art Gallery Establishment and Supporting Facilities ......................................................................................... 95 6.2.3 Commercial Development ....................................................................................................................................... 97 6.2.3.1 Retail Zone Upgradation ............................................................................................................................... 97 6.2.3.2 Commerce in the Gallery .............................................................................................................................. 99 6.2.3.3 Gallery’s Supporting Facilities ...................................................................................................................... 101 6.2.4 Future Housing Developments .............................................................................................................................. 104 6.2.4.1 Redevelopment of Clasper Village ............................................................................................................... 104 6.2.4.2 Gasworks Site Redevelopment .................................................................................................................... 107 6.3 Policy Framework......................................................................................................................................................... 111 6.4 Consultation Strategy ................................................................................................................................................... 114 6.4.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................................. 114 6.4.2 Key Stakeholders ................................................................................................................................................. 114 6.4.3 Process................................................................................................................................................................ 116 6.4.3.1 Used Tools and Activities Process ............................................................................................................... 116 6.4.3.2 Consultation Timescale .............................................................................................................................. 117 6.4.3.3 Consultation Processes Timescale ............................................................................................................... 118 6.4 Funding Strategy ......................................................................................................................................................... 119 6.4.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................................. 119 6.4.2 Projected Funding Generation ............................................................................................................................... 120 6.4.3 Long-Term Funding Securement ........................................................................................................................... 123 6.5 Sustainability Statement ............................................................................................................................................... 123 6.5.1 Key Sustainability Issues Facing Gateshead Council ............................................................................................... 123 6.5.2 Gateshead: Sustainability Targets ......................................................................................................................... 124 6.5.3 Achieving Sustainability ........................................................................................................................................ 124 6.5.4 Promoting Sustainable Interventions ..................................................................................................................... 127 6.6 Timescale and Phasing Schedule................................................................................................................................... 128 7. Outcomes....................................................................................................................................................................... 130 7.1 Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................... 131 7.2 Key Design Objectives for Sites..................................................................................................................................... 132 7.3 Potential Challenges .................................................................................................................................................... 133 7.4 Design and Masterplan ................................................................................................................................................. 134 8. Monitoring ..................................................................................................................................................................... 135 9. Appendices .................................................................................................................................................................... 139 9.1 S.W.O.T Diagram ......................................................................................................................................................... 140 9.2 Gateshead Council Sustainability Issues ......................................................................................................................... 141

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Executive Summary TYNE LAPSE is a planning and development consultancy in the North East. We work alongside governments and communities to revitalise neighbourhoods and cities, in a manner that seeks to preserve their past, improve their present, and sustain their future.

The document sets out a spatial regeneration strategy for Teams, a neighbourhood near the banks of River Tyne in the North of Gateshead.

Teams is one of the most deprived areas in Gateshead. It is primarily a residential neighbourhood with a dearth of retail and commercial services, an inadequate provision of recreational and leisure facilities, and poorly maintained public open spaces. There is a huge disparity between the North and South part of teams owing to the recent housing developments in the North which have raised the quality of life of people in this area.

This is in stark comparison to the South of Teams which lacks a focal point, contains neglected spaces and derelict buildings, and continues to suffer from high levels of crime and deprivation. A neighbourhood with anti-pedestrian streets, poor quality public realm, and a depreciating built environment, Teams lacks character and fails to attract and engage people. Overall, it gives the impression of a neighbourhood that is meant to passed by, not stopped in – a destination in and of itself. Teams is highly dependent on surrounding wards for meeting the social, economic, and cultural needs of its people which presents a huge sustainability concern. Despite being home to the iconic coal Staiths which are representative of its rich industrial heritage, Teams lacks a sense of place and positive identity.

In light of this, the strategy aims to achieve its 2030 vision through the following strategic interventions: 5

Public Realm Enhancement Through expanding the cycling network, improving green spaces with landscaping and street furniture, renovating playgrounds, developing pocket parks in underutilised spaces, commissioning artwork installations on streets and roundabouts, legalising graffiti walls.

Equalising Socio-Spatial Activity By upscaling the Community Center to accommodate indoor facilities and host outdoor event; and establishing an Art Gallery [in South of Teams] to create a focal point and generate much-needed sociocultural and economic activity in the area.

Boosting Commercial Development By upgrading the existing retail bloc to enhance its functionality and visibility; and earning revenue from the Art Gallery and Artist Studios developed within housing projects.

Future Housing Developments Prioritising local community needs in the design and delivery of Clasper Village Housing Project; and providing affordable mixed-use housing with communal recreational space on the former gasworks site in South of Teams.

The strategy will be implemented in three phases: ▪ ▪ ▪

Short-Term 2020-24 [Public Realm Improvements, Retail Zone Upgradation, Art Gallery, Community Centre Expansion] Medium-Term 2025-30 [Clasper Village Housing] Long-Term 2030+ [Gasworks Housing, Outdoor Sculpture Exhibitions]

Funding will be generated through government schemes, grants from private entities, and non-profit funds. Moreover, to ensure the cultural institutions continue to grow and evolve, a charitable community-run organisation called Teams Trust will be established.

Local community being important stakeholders will be engaged through consultative workshops to ensure the interventions meet current needs. The impact of the strategic interventions will be monitored by Gateshead council against specific indicators.

[Total Word Count: 15,060]

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List of Figures Figure 1. Teams Strategic Boundary .................................................................................................................................. 14 Figure 2. Location of Teams ............................................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 3. Main Zones in Teams ........................................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 4. Teams Historical Timeline ................................................................................................................................... 17 Figure 5. The Staiths ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 Figure 6. The Staiths Walkway ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Figure 7. Teams Housing Property ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Figure 8. Types of Housing in Teams ................................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 9. Property Values in Newcastle ............................................................................................................................. 21 Figure 10. Property Values in Teams ................................................................................................................................. 21 Figure 11. Recreational Facilities ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Figure 12. Powerleague Site .............................................................................................................................................. 23 Figure 13. Cycle Track Tanfield .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 14. Cycle Track Gateshead Riverside Park ............................................................................................................. 25 Figure 15. Public Art in Teams ........................................................................................................................................... 25 Figure 16. Public Art Information Board in Teams ........................................................................................................... 26 Figure 17. Medical and Community Facilities .................................................................................................................... 27 Figure 18. Artworks in Eslington Primary School ............................................................................................................. 28 Figure 19. Former Clasper Towers Playground ................................................................................................................. 28 Figure 20. Retail Services ................................................................................................................................................... 29 Figure 21. Staiths Cafe........................................................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 22. The Pizza Master .............................................................................................................................................. 30 Figure 23. Teams Super Save and Sarah’s Cafe ................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 24. Ford Parts .......................................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 25. Wash’N Drive ..................................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 26. Lloyds Pharmacy ............................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 27. Shop’N Drive ...................................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 28. Powerleague Gateshead ................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 29. New 2 You Charity Shop ................................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 30. Foundations Furniture Shop ............................................................................................................................. 30 Figure 31. A1 Windows Gateshead Limited....................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 32. Industrial Zone Longevity................................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 33. Ford Parts, Automobile Services ...................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 34. Industrial Zone Service Specifications ............................................................................................................ 31 Figure 35. Teams Transportation Systems ........................................................................................................................ 33 Figure 36. Teams Topography ............................................................................................................................................ 34 Figure 37. Teams Ecological Corridors............................................................................................................................... 35 Figure 38. Bird Varieties in Teams ..................................................................................................................................... 36 Figure 39. Teams as part of a Strategic Green Infrastructure Network.......................................................................... 37 Figure 40. Unrestricted Recreational Spaces .................................................................................................................... 38 Figure 41. Wildlife Walk ..................................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 42. River Team ......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 43. Upstream River Team ....................................................................................................................................... 39 Figure 44. Teams Economic Activity .................................................................................................................................. 42

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Figure 45. Teams Criminal Activity .................................................................................................................................... 43 Figure 46. Teams Health Statistics .................................................................................................................................... 44 Figure 47. Teams Overall Household Deprivation ............................................................................................................ 44 Figure 48. Southern Estates Deprivation........................................................................................................................... 52 Figure 49. Key Issues.......................................................................................................................................................... 53 Figure 50. Access Routes to Tanfield Cycleway ................................................................................................................ 54 Figure 51. Designated Access Routes to Tanfield Cycleway ............................................................................................ 55 Figure 52. New Housing Estate in North Teams and Old Housing Development in South Teams ................................. 56 Figure 53. Facilities inside new housing developments exclusive to its residents ......................................................... 56 Figure 54. Clasper Towers Playground before closure (©Elainn Waite) ......................................................................... 57 Figure 55. Clasper Towers Playground after closure ........................................................................................................ 57 Figure 56. Registered Brownfield ...................................................................................................................................... 57 Figure 57. Teams Medical Centre front view ..................................................................................................................... 58 Figure 58. Tanfield Cycleway, Graffiti and litter ............................................................................................................... 59 Figure 59. Gateshead Riverside Park litter........................................................................................................................ 59 Figure 60. Graffiti on buildings and bridges and on staiths structure ............................................................................ 59 Figure 61. Unofficially painted arrow pointing towards the direction of Teams ........................................................... 59 Figure 62. Fly-tipping in secondary streets ...................................................................................................................... 59 Figure 63. Teams Family Centre ........................................................................................................................................ 60 Figure 64. Underutilisation of structures along Askew Road .......................................................................................... 61 Figure 65. Proposed Cycling Routes ................................................................................................................................. 68 Figure 66. Proposed Pocket Parks .................................................................................................................................... 69 Figure 67. Graffiti Walls’ Locations ................................................................................................................................... 71 Figure 68. Art Features’ Locations .................................................................................................................................... 72 Figure 69. Community Centre Expansion ......................................................................................................................... 74 Figure 70. Gallery’s Site Alternatives................................................................................................................................. 75 Figure 71. Retail Zone ......................................................................................................................................................... 78 Figure 72. Visibility Opportunities ..................................................................................................................................... 79 Figure 73. Gallery Proposal ................................................................................................................................................ 79 Figure 74. First Proposal Area ............................................................................................................................................ 80 Figure 75. Second Proposal Area ....................................................................................................................................... 81 Figure 76. Housing Development Prototype ..................................................................................................................... 83 Figure 77. Loss of Open Space ........................................................................................................................................... 84 Figure 78. Cycling Proposals .............................................................................................................................................. 89 Figure 79. Outdoor Spaces ................................................................................................................................................. 91 Figure 80. Art Interventions Examples .............................................................................................................................. 92 Figure 81. Allocated Sites for the Proposal ....................................................................................................................... 93 Figure 82. Soft Play Area Example ..................................................................................................................................... 94 Figure 83. Community Indoor Swimming Pool Example .................................................................................................. 94 Figure 84. Outdoor Event Example .................................................................................................................................... 94 Figure 85. Group Workshop................................................................................................................................................ 95 Figure 86. Kids Workshop................................................................................................................................................... 95 Figure 87. Art Studio ........................................................................................................................................................... 95 Figure 88. Outdoor Art Event ............................................................................................................................................. 95 Figure 89. One of Ouseburn’s Open Studios ...................................................................................................................... 96 Figure 90. Great Exhibition of the North in Ouseburn ...................................................................................................... 96

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Figure 91. Retail Zone Upgrading ...................................................................................................................................... 97 Figure 92. Accessibility for Shoppers ................................................................................................................................. 98 Figure 93. Gallery Accessibility .......................................................................................................................................... 99 Figure 94. CafÊ Sales Activities ........................................................................................................................................ 100 Figure 95. Dunston Staiths Lite-Show 2016 ................................................................................................................... 100 Figure 96. Building Multifunctionality ............................................................................................................................. 101 Figure 97. North East Clasper Village view from Redheugh Bridge ............................................................................... 102 Figure 98. Wolseley Close Area Montage by Day ............................................................................................................ 103 Figure 99. Wolseley Close Area Montage by Night ......................................................................................................... 103 Figure 100. Plans for New Homes in Gateshead ............................................................................................................. 104 Figure 101. Sites Allocated for Housing – Clasper Village and Wolseley Play Area ..................................................... 105 Figure 102. Clasper Towers After Closure ....................................................................................................................... 106 Figure 103. Clasper Towers Playground .......................................................................................................................... 106 Figure 104. Sites Allocated for Housing .......................................................................................................................... 107 Figure 105. Gasworks Site ................................................................................................................................................ 108 Figure 106. Transformation for Gasworks Site ............................................................................................................... 109 Figure 107. Consultation Timescale ................................................................................................................................. 118 Figure 108. Master Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 134

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List of Tables Table 1. Types of Housing in Teams (2011) ...................................................................................................................... 20 Table 2. Types of Housing Tenures in Teams (2017)........................................................................................................ 20 Table 3. Rivers’ Quality ....................................................................................................................................................... 40 Table 4. Teams Demographics 2001/2011........................................................................................................................ 41 Table 5. Household Occupancy Data.................................................................................................................................. 42 Table 6. Teams Criminal Activity ...................................................................................................................................... 43 Table 7. Teams Overall Household Deprivation ............................................................................................................... 45 Table 8. NPPF Objectives ................................................................................................................................................... 46 Table 9. NPPF Strategic Policies ........................................................................................................................................ 47 Table 10. Strengths and Weaknesses ............................................................................................................................... 50 Table 11. Opportunities and Threats ................................................................................................................................ 51 Table 12. Strategy Boundary Crime Rank ......................................................................................................................... 52 Table 13. Strategy Boundary Outdoor Environmental Quality Rank ............................................................................... 56 Table 14. Vacant Buildings ................................................................................................................................................. 60 Table 15. Nearby Competitors............................................................................................................................................ 62 Table 16. Aims and Objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 64 Table 17. Site Rationale ...................................................................................................................................................... 76 Table 18. Policy Framework ............................................................................................................................................. 111 Table 19. Consultation Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................... 115 Table 20. Consultation Timetable .................................................................................................................................... 117 Table 21. Funding Strategy .............................................................................................................................................. 119 Table 22. Government Facilitated Funding ..................................................................................................................... 120 Table 23. Private Funding ................................................................................................................................................. 122 Table 24. Sustainable Vision and Aims ............................................................................................................................ 125 Table 25. Sustainable Interventions ................................................................................................................................ 127 Table 26. Phasing Schedule .............................................................................................................................................. 129 Table 27. Strategic Priorities and Main Objectives Relationship ................................................................................... 131 Table 28. Key Design objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 132 Table 29. Potential Challenges and Solutions ................................................................................................................. 133 Table 30. Monitoring Strategy ......................................................................................................................................... 136

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1.1 STRATEGIC PURPOSE This regeneration strategy responds to the social and economic challenges faced by Teams. It recognises that the neighbourhood suffers from high levels of crime and deprivation, reduced economic opportunities, and a poor physical environment, which pose a great threat to its sustainability.

Key to its revitalisation approach is arts which will help transform the neighbourhood and build a resilient community. By reinvigorating its existing cultural heritage and creative strength, the strategy will play a pivotal role in Gateshead council’s ambition of growing the borough into a prosperous and sustainable area of choice for working, living and frequenting, now and in the future.

1.2 STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK Following this introduction, Sections 1 and 2 contextualise the neighbourhood including its location, existing land use, physical, environmental and socioeconomic characteristics.

Section 3 provides a thorough analysis of the issues currently facing Teams. Section 4 outlines the 2030 vision for Teams, and the aims and objectives that underpin it. Section 5 delineates the strategic interventions proposed to tackle the prevalent issues in Teams, while section 6 explains in-depth their implementation process along with funding and consultation frameworks. Sections 7 and 8 set out the monitoring strategy to evaluate the project’s expected outcomes.

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2.1 LOCATION AND BOUNDARY JUSTIFICATION Teams is located in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England, on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne. It is bounded by River Team to the West, River Tyne to the North, part of A184 road to the South, and A189 road and Redheugh Bridge to the East. The neighbourhood of Dunston lies to the West, Low Teams to the South and Bensham to the East. For this strategy, the Northern mapping boundary of Teams established by the Gateshead Council1 is maintained; however, the rest of the official boundary that includes Lower Teams along the A184 and Bensham along the A189 is excluded. This is because the A184 is a significant highway route in North-East England that experiences heavy traffic2. Similarly, the A189 is a major dual carriageway and a principal urban distributor3. It is for this reason, of greater uninterrupted focus, that these roads line the South and East boundary of this strategy.

Figure 1. Teams Strategic Boundary

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Figure 2. Location of Teams

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2.2 EXISTING LAND USE 2.2.1 Overview Teams is a relatively small neighbourhood compared to its surrounding wards with an area of about 0.73km2. While primarily a residential neighbourhood, it also includes an industrial area, a few commercial services, a clinic and a community centre.

Figure 3. Main Zones in Teams

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2.2.2 Heritage and History In the late 1800s, Dunston Staiths was established on the River Tyne to support Britain’s coal industry which attracted many labourers to the area and created a local housing demand. Post-industrialisation, Teams’ local industry shifted from coal and gas to car and metal, and although smaller in scale, these industrial facilities still occupy a central location within the area.

Figure 4. Teams Historical Timeline 1

With the decline of the coal industry, the Staiths too fell into disrepair but was restored and opened to the public as part of the 1990 Garden Festival. While the festival discontinued some short years later due to a housing development scheme, 2 a ‘Staith Walkway’ (Figure. 6) was constructed along the river, which to this day is used by the residents for recreational activities including jogging, cycling, and dog walking. This Grade

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Adapted from Digimap, 2020. Ordinance Survey Roam [online] Available at: https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/map/os 2 The Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, 2014.The art of Regeneration (2014) [online] Available at: https://www.discoveringbritain.org/content/discoveringbritain/walk%20booklets/Gateshead%20walk%20%20written%20guide.pdf

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II listed structure has suffered many arson attacks in the past, the latest occurring in 20193.

Figure 5. The Staiths

Figure 6. The Staiths Walkway

2.2.3 Housing 2.2.3.1 Longevity and Architectural Style As previously noted, Teams witnessed a sharp increase in housing demand in the late 1800s to 1900s. Most of the houses were demolished in 1980 to upgrade the area from slum conditions, however some elements of the traditional design style of the former housing were maintained by Gateshead Council to retain the character and history of the 3

Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust, 2019. Dunston Staiths [online] Available at: http://www.dunstonstaiths.org.uk/

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area4. This differs drastically from the modern architectural design of the ‘Staiths South Bank Estate’ which was constructed in 2016 in the North of Teams.

2.2.3.2 Housing Stock

Figure 7. Teams Housing Property 5 Longevity

It is evident from census 2011, that Teams witnessed a sharp rise in flats, and have now become the leading property type in the area (Table 1). A majority of these flats are located along the River Tyne. Detached housing in comparison, is less popular and concentrated in the South-West of Teams. Homeownership remains the popular tenure in the area. (Table 2).

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Gateshead County Borough Council, Teams. [online] Available at: http://www.gatesheadhistory.com/teams.html

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Digimap, 2020. Pilot Roam.[online] Available at: https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/map/pilot

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Table 1. Types of Housing (2011) in Teams

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Table 2. Housing Tenures (2017) in Teams 7

Figure 8. Types of Housing in Teams 6

Gateshead Council, 2011. Census 2011 Ward Factsheet. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/2656/Dunston-and-Teams-Census-2011-WardFactsheet/pdf/Dunston___Teams.pdf?m=636566444061270000 7 Gateshead Council, n.d. Dunston and Teams Ward Factsheet. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/2541/Dunston-andTeams/pdf/Dunston_and_Teams.pdf?m=636807248507730000

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2.2.3.3 Property Values Property values in Teams range between mid-high and low in contrast with higher values in neighbouring areas like Newcastle City Centre. In January 2020, the average house price in the North East was £126,5928, with Newcastle being in the upper quartile with an average of £160,730, and Gateshead in the lower quartile with an average of £125,384.

Figure 9. Property Values in Newcastle

Figure 10. Property Values in Teams

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UK Government, 2020. House Price Statistics, UK House Price Index. [online] Available at: https://landregistry.data.gov.uk/app/ukhpi/browse?from=2019-0301&location=http%3A%2F%2Flandregistry.data.gov.uk%2Fid%2Fregion%2Fnorth-east&to=2020-03-01 9 Zoopla, 2020. Heatmap of UK property values. [online] Available at: https://www.zoopla.co.uk/heatmaps/ 10 Ibid

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2.2.4 Recreation and Leisure Teams has a few private and public recreational facilities (Figure 11) including sporting grounds, playgrounds, walkways, and several public artworks. A cycle track is also located within Teams, connecting the East and West parts (Figure 11, pictures 3 and 7). However, these spaces are in a poor condition and require either essential maintenance or proper replacement.11

Figure 11. Recreational Facilities

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Gateshead Council, 2020. Teams. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/3073/Teams>.

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2.2.4.1 Powerleague Club Powerleague is the original and premier provider of commercial small sided football in the UK.12 Within Teams, it has a club facility spread over an area of 11,200m2 which includes eight outdoor pitches, a function room, car parking, kids’ facilities, corporate facilities and a bar.

Figure 12. Powerleague Site

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Powerleague Group & Powerplay, n.d. About us. [online] Available at: https://www.powerleague.co.uk/about-us

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2.2.4.2 Cycle Track The only designated cycle track in Teams, the Tanfield Cycleway (Figure 13) lies in between the Powerleague Club and the industrial area. The 490m track starts from Team Street and ends at a junction between Spartan Redheugh Limited and Ropery Road. An unofficial path leading to power league’s football field has been unofficially created through the vegetation on one side of the track.

Figure 13. Cycle Track Tanfield

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Figure 14. Cycle Track Gateshead Riverside Park

2.2.4.3 Public Art Teams has a variety of artworks and sculptures installed in various locations (Figure 15), some of them reminiscent of Gateshead’s industrial past. The artwork, Phoenix cobblestones-1994, was part of an improvement scheme ‘revival’. This mosaic illustrates a phoenix rising from the flames, symbolising Gateshead’s regeneration after a period of industrial decline13. Another provocative sculpture, Once Upon a Tyne-1990, is an ode to the architecture of Tyne’s bridges. It is built onto the surviving abutment wall of the demolished Redheugh Bridge. Teams ’Gas Works Wall’, another historic landmark is a series of striped ceramic tiles originally located at what was one of the main entrances to the National Garden Festival 1990 14 . In addition to the above, is a colourful archway sculpture at the

Figure 15. Public Art in Teams

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Maggy Howarth, 2001. City Centres. [online] Available at: http://maggyhowarth.co.uk/citycentres.html Jennie Moncur, 2020. Painted Bridges. [online] Available at: https://jennie-moncur.squarespace.com/railwaybridges 14

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Gateshead Riverside Park entrance. The Riverside Rivets-2010 was a collaborative project with the children in Teams, who made casts of their favourite objects which were encased within the sculptures. The rivets are inscribed with the names of communities that are adjacent to the riverside, including Teams15. On Rose Street, one can see the street benches and railing sculptures that mimic the sea.16 The Gateshead council lists seven of these art features on their website, and a notice board in Gateshead Riverside Park shows a map of these artworks, informing the visitors of their location (Figure 16). However, the notice board and some of the artworks show evidence of vandalism.

Figure 16. Public Art Information Board in Teams

2.2.5 Provisional Services 2.2.5.1 Community and Health Services Figure 17 shows Teams community facilities and health services including Teams Medical Practice and Lloyds Pharmacy. Teams Community Centre hosts a variety of activities like counselling and fitness classes. A former NHS service centre called Teams Family Centre exists but is no longer in use and has been subjected to vandalism. On the East of The Teams Medical Practice and Family Centre is Happy to Help, a community agency providing services for older and disabled residents.

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Andrew Mckeown, 2017. Rivets. [online] Available at: http://www.andrewmckeown.com/projects/rivets/ Graeme Hopper, n.d. Artist Designer Sculptor. [online] Available at: http://www.graemehopper.co.uk/

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Figure 17. Medical and Community Facilities

2.2.5.2 Educational Services These include the Eslington Primary School and Teams Children Centre (Figure 18 & 19) Voluntary Aided Schools also serve Teams as it falls into the catchment area; these include primary, secondary, and special needs schools 17 . The two facilities shared a relatively big playground called Clasper Towers which is in the process of being demolished.

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Gateshead Council, 2019. School Catchments. [online] Available at: https://gis.gateshead.gov.uk/gatesheadmaps/scs/app.html

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Figure 18. Artworks in Eslington School

Figure 19. Former Clasper Towers Playground

2.2.5.3 Retail and Commercial Services A few retail and commercial services are concentrated in central and western part of Teams. Automobile repair services are a prominent commercial service whereas Team Super Save and Pizza Master Takeaway are the only two retail and convenience shops.

Staiths CafÊ is the sole leisure and eating space in Teams. Of the mapped retail facilities, Sarah’s Cafe and the Charity Shop are out of business.

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Figure 20. Retail Services

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Figure 21. Staiths

Figure 22. The Pizza Master

Figure 23. Teams Super Save and Sarah’s Cafe

Figure 24. Ford Parts

Figure 25. Wash’N Drive

Figure 26. Lloyds Pharmacy

Figure 27. Shop’N Drive

Figure 28. Powerleague Gateshead

Figure 29. New 2 You Charity Shop

Figure 30. Foundations Furniture

Figure 31. A1 Windows Gateshead Ltd

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2.2.5.4. Industrial Services As illustrated in Figure 32, a major area within the current industrial zone goes back to inter-war and post-war periods, which highlights the longevity of this land for industrial use. The industrial services are located in the centre of Teams, and border the River Team, and a few of the housing and recreational facilities.

Figure 32. Industrial Zone Longevity18

Figure 33. Ford Parts, Automobile Services

Figure 34. Industrial Zone Service Specification

18

Digimaps, 2020. [online] Available at: https://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/map/pilot

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2.2.6 Transport and Accessibility Metro The nearest metro station is situated approximately 55m Northeast of Teams, Gateshead.

Bus The area is densely connected by frequent public bus service, with a total of 31 bus stops.

The bus route X66 has a frequent service and operates every 10 minutes. Bus route 97 Green Arrow regularly connects Newcastle to the Intu Metrocentre via Teams. Around 24% of the household population within Teams commutes to work by bus.

Bicycle The Tanfield cycle track connects cyclists to other shared routes including the Staiths Walkway along the riverside. Though there are a few bicycle lanes identified for cyclists, these have not been maintained and few have fallen into disrepair.

Pedestrian The pedestrian footpaths vary in terms of slabs and asphalt, with ramps in some areas allowing for wheelchair and buggy access. However, the Teams Neighbourhood Action Plan identifies that one of the main challenges facing Teams is poor pedestrian environment, especially the absence of footbridges.19 Only about 14% of the population travels to work by bicycle or on foot 20 which points to the lack of sustainable transportation use within the neighbourhood.

Car Other than the A184 and A189 highways, secondary car usage in Teams revolves around Team Street, Rose Street, Tyne Road East, Autumn Drive, Askew Road West, Yetholm Road and Johnson Street. These provide vehicular access to the central areas of different estates and surrounding properties. The tertiary roads, the closes, and the courts are widely distributed in Teams, which cut the distance from getting out of the car to home.

Around 55% of the households in Teams own car 21, and 60% commute to work by automobile.

19

Gateshead Council, 2020. Teams. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/3073/Teams Gateshead Council, 2011. Census 2011 Ward Factsheet. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/2656/Dunston-and-Teams-Census-2011-WardFactsheet/pdf/Dunston___Teams.pdf?m=636566444061270000 21 Ibid 20

32

Figure 35. Teams Mobility Systems

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2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT 2.3.1 Geology and Topography Teams is set within the rich landscape of Gateshead which has been widely shaped and influenced by its rivers. Being on the lower valley, Teams is relatively gentle in gradient (Figure 36). Given its location, the neighbourhood is also prone to the effects of climate change, with the most significant threat being increased flood risk.

Figure 36. Teams Topography

Because of its industrial past, the topography of the area has also been shaped by mineral extraction, coal mining, shipbuilding and wagonways. The area remains underlain by shallow coal reserves.

34

2.3.2 Ecology and Biodiversity Much of the area in Teams is of biodiverse significance, with an abundance of wildlife in the area. In Teams, plants and animal species are generally located around the main water bodies (Figure 37).

Figure 37. Teams Ecological Corridors

2.3.2.1 Wildlife Corridor Wildlife corridors are necessary for ecological connectivity and counteracting habitat migration. The River Tyne and Team are identified as two wildlife corridors in need of management. Both have experienced heavy pollution, especially River Team22 from past and current industrial activities.

22

Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council, 2011. Green Infrastructure Study- Evidence Base. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/1863/163-SD-NewcastleGateshead-Green-InfrastructureStudy-Evidence-Base/pdf/163.-SD-NewcastleGateshead-Green-Infrastructure-Study-EvidenceBase.pdf?m=636657845192370000

35

2.3.2.2 Local Wildlife Corridor The Saltmarsh area at the River Team is identified as a Local wildlife corridor23; it is especially crucial in terms of biodiversity for flowering plants and roosting birds (Figure 38) and has been recommended for improvement. This area allows rare saltwater plants to thrive - including reeds, sea aster and wild carrot. Birds such as Golden plovers and lapwings feed off the mudflats and roost on the Staiths. Otters have been spotted in the reed beds24. The River Team has also been suggested as a Local Wildlife Corridor in order to attempt significant safeguarding of the Gateshead boroughs biodiversity.

Figure 38. Bird Varieties in Teams.25

23

Footnote 22 p.62-66 The Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers, n.d. Coal Survivor. [online] Available at: https://www.discoveringbritain.org/content/discoveringbritain/viewpoint%20pdfs/Dunston%20Staiths%20viewpoi nt%202018.pdf 25 Image Sources ©Dunston Acer Pond ©Kat Mason ©Royala Geographic Society 24

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2.3.3 Wellbeing and Recreation 2.3.3.1 Strategic Green Infrastructure Network Green infrastructure contributes to the health, wellbeing and quality of life of the local population. The Green Infrastructure Network in Teams encompasses mostly the natural environment of the area along the river (Figure 39). However, there is an opportunity for more nature-based solutions and green infrastructures within the entirety of Teams and its developments26.

Figure 39. Teams as part of a Strategic Green Infrastructure Network

2.3.3.2 Public Recreational Space Open and green space within Teams has mostly been lost to brownfield land for development (Figure 40). The density of the area and local/national demand for housing makes it difficult for large open public green spaces to thrive. However, a large open field 26

Newcastle and Gateshead Council, 2009. Planning for the Future Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/7765/Core-Strategy-and-Urban-Core-Plan-for-Gateshead-andNewcastle/pdf/Core-Strategy-and-Urban-Core-Plan-for-Gateshead-andNewcastle_SMALLER.pdf?m=636619103092500000

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in the South is still available and can be used for outdoor events. Outdoor recreation activities have significantly reduced in comparison to earlier decades when activities such as the Natural Garden Festival took place in Teams.

Figure 40. Unrestricted Recreational Spaces 27

2.3.3.3 Wildlife Walk Gateshead Council has designed a wildlife trail/walk around Teams (Figure 41). However, it has been identified that one of the main challenges facing Teams is a poor pedestrian environment28 which significantly affects this wildlife walk trail, particularly around the scenic River Team.

27

Gateshead Council, 2020. Brownfield Register 2020. [online] Available at: https://gis.gateshead.gov.uk/gatesheadmaps/BFR20/app.html 28 Gateshead Council, 2020. Teams. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/3073/Teams

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Figure 41. Wildlife Walk

River Team has for a long time been used for recreational boating activities (Figure 42), however this now often tends to happen more upstream, outside of the designated boundary where the channel is wider (Figure 43).

Figure 42. River Team 29

29 30

Figure 43. Upstream River Team 30

Image Source ŠFelling Heritage Group Image Source ŠKat Mason

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2.3.4 Watercourses, Flood Risk and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDs) The main watercourses in Teams are the River Tyne, River Team and the River Tyne Gorge. Important functions of watercourses earlier mentioned were recreational provision and accommodation of wildlife habitats. Additionally, watercourses improve the aesthetic visual of landscapes and attract tourists. The River Team and the River Tyne are primary influencers of Gateshead regional hydrology and are listed, as important contributors to the landscape31. The River Team is a smaller river that acts as a catchment contributing to flow of the River Tyne.

Table 3. Rivers’ Quality

2.3.4.1 River Tyne The River Tyne is dominated by tidal flows towards the North Sea. Flood risk is generally affected by fluvial deposits and tidal events. The UK Government’s River Basin Management Plan lists the River Tyne as being in good ecological and chemical quality.

2.3.4.2 River Team The River Team flows North to the River Tyne from distant highlands. It has undergone some handmade culverting in certain areas to improve flow around urban areas. There is a low downstream flood risk, and the focus is on the lower stream; as a tributary for the River Tyne, this river faces similar fluvial and tidal flood risks. Teams and the River Team act as a functional floodplain, thus putting properties around the area at risk. There is currently no flood defence in the area, however, considering climate change and an increased flood risk, solutions should be considered32.

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems are important infrastructures that manage flood risks as well as enhance biodiversity. Riverside walkways and park areas within Teams, can be used to establish linkages along river corridors; with greater scope to open up culverted sections of the River Team enhancing the riverside location. In the UK Government’s River Basin Management Plan, there is policy commitment to clean the river of residual contamination from industrial activities and restore it to a good ecological quality status by 2027.

31 32

Footnote 22, p.44.

Fotnote 22, p.126-127

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2.4 SOCIAL CONTEXT This section provides an overview of the key demographics of Teams in Gateshead.

2.4.1 Demographics33 According to the most recent census conducted in 2011, the total population of Teams and Dunston is 9127 people combined34. In the period between the two censuses i.e. from 2001-2011, the local population increased by 13.8%, reflecting a positive growth trend. Out of the total population, 50.6% is male, and 49.4% is female. The highest population majority (58%) falls in the 25-64 age bracket and the second highest in the 0-14 age bracket which comprises 16% of the residents. The table below provides further breakdown of the population by age-groups.

Table 4. Teams Demographics 2001/2011

It is important to note that a significant number of residents are aged between 25-44 characterising Teams as a family-oriented neighbourhood. This also, however, means that in the coming decades, the neighbourhood may experience a surge in old-age population. Thus, any future development and design proposals should be cognizant of the physical and material needs of this group. In terms of diversity, in 2011 Teams was listed as a predominantly White British neighbourhood with 7.4% of the total population identifying as Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), however this figure has increased since the 2001 census. The next indicative census will be in 2021.

2.4.2 Economic Activity and Employment 69% of people in the ward are economically active (aged 16-74)35 and 31% of them are economically inactive. As the graphs below illustrate, majority of the economically active

33

Gateshead Council, 2011. Census 2011 Ward Factsheet. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/2656/Dunston-and-Teams-Census-2011-WardFactsheet/pdf/Dunston___Teams.pdf?m=636566444061270000 34 In national population statistics, Teams and Dunston are counted as one ward. All statistics in this section are of both neighborhoods combined.

35 Those aged 16-74 who were working in the week before the Census, or were not working but were looking for work and available to start within 2 weeks.

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population occupy full-time positions whereas a majority of the economically inactive people are in retirement followed by those suffering from either poor health conditions or a disability. According to the 2011 census, 16% or 677 households in Dunston & Teams are pensioner households.

Economically Active People

Economically Inactive People Figure 44. Teams Economic Activity

The highest percentage of population (14%) in the ward is engaged in elementary occupations and the second-highest (13%) in both professional occupations and sales and customer services.

2.4.3 Household Data As of 2011, Dunston and Teams had a total of 4359 households with an average household size of 2.1. As the table below illustrates, the highest number of households are single-person households, the majority within them being owned by single people aged 65+. The second-highest number of households are married-couple households.

Table 5. Household Occupancy Data

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2.4.4 Crime Data As per the crime statistics recorded in February 2020, there were a total of 115 cases in the Dunston and Teams ward in the said month. The highest number of cases were recorded under the Violent Crime category (renamed as violence and sexual offences) followed by Anti-Social Behavior (ASB) and Burglary, respectively. There were quite an evident number of Criminal Damage and Arson (CD&A) cases too.36

Table 6. Criminal Activity in February 2020 Public Order, 97

Possession of Weapons, 4

Other Crime, 22 Anti-Social Behaviour, 232

Theft from the Person, 9 Bike Theft, 8 Drugs, 28

Burglary, 82 Other Theft, 114

Robbery, 3

Criminal Damage and Arson, 91 Shoplifting, 39 Vehicle Crime, 68

Violent Crime, 424 Anti-Social Behaviour

Burglary

Robbery

Vehicle Crime

Violent Crime

Shoplifting

Criminal Damage and Arson

Other Theft

Drugs

Bike Theft

Theft from the Person

Possession of Weapons

Public Order

Other Crime

Figure 45. Criminal Activity from March 2019 to February 2020

36

UK Crime Stats, 2020. Crime in Dunston and Teams Ward. [online] Available at: https://www.ukcrimestats.com/Subdivisions/MTW/9779/

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2.4.5 Health Profile 76% of people in Dunston & Teams described their health as good or very good, and a further 10% of people described their health as poor or very poor.

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Figure 46. Health Statistics

2.4.6 Neighbourhood Deprivation Ranking Teams is still recognised as one of the most deprived areas of Gateshead. Figure 47 highlights the deprived households that fall within the strategy’s geographical boundary.

Figure 47. Teams Overall Household Deprivation 38

37

Gateshead Council, 2019. Indices of Deprivation. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/15968/IMD-2019-Briefing/pdf/Members_Briefing__Web_Version.pdf?m=637159844821930000 38 Gateshead Council, 2019. IMD. https://gis.gateshead.gov.uk/gatesheadmaps/IMD/app.html

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Table 7. Teams Overall Household Deprivation

39

39

Ibid

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2.5 POLICY CONTEXT 2.5.1 National Policy The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) outlines the significance of “achieving sustainable development�, which can be characterised by three interdependent and overarching objectives as specified below (Table 8), all of which have been taken into consideration in this spatial strategy produced for Teams.

Table 8. NPPF Objectives 40

The NPPF highlights the importance of plans to make explicit which policies are strategic policies necessary to address the issues specific to the area, as well as ensuring sufficient provision for the following:

40

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2019. National Planning Policy Framework. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/810197/NPP F_Feb_2019_revised.pdf

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Table 9. NPPF Strategic Policies41

2.5.2 Newcastle Gateshead Local Plan 2010-2030 The Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan (CSUCP) adopted in 2015, provides the spatial planning framework up until 2030 for the partnership between Gateshead and Newcastle Council pertaining their overall vision, objectives, spatial strategy and policies for development and economic prosperity, whilst achieving sustainable neighbourhoods across the North East. The plan identifies Teams, Gateshead as a Neighbourhood Opportunity Area. Policy CS3 of spatial strategy for neighbourhood Areas indicates that sustainable communities will be promoted through the development of 21,900 new homes, with Dunston & Teams, potentially contributing to the delivery of 250 mixed price, type and tenure homes as well as remodelling of existing dwellings42.

41

Ibid Newcastle and Gateshead Council, 2009. Planning for the Future Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/7765/Core-Strategy-and-Urban-Core-Plan-for-Gateshead-andNewcastle/pdf/Core-Strategy-and-Urban-Core-Plan-for-Gateshead-andNewcastle_SMALLER.pdf?m=636619103092500000 42

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2.5.3 Making Spaces for Growing Places MSGP is a statutory development plan document which sets out detailed development and land allocation policies within Gateshead council.

Specifically, the document is intended to: ▪ Identify and allocate specific areas of land for new development and improvements to existing development ▪ Identify areas where there may be limitations on development ▪ Set out policies which provide detail to assist in the guidance on and decisions made on planning applications ▪ Spatially illustrate land use designations and desired land uses on preferred sites using a land use policies map.43 2.5.4 Gateshead Unitary Development Plan The following saved policy from the Gateshead Unitary Development Plan MU4, will continue to be used alongside policies within the Core Strategy and Urban Core Plan, until superseded through the Local Development Documents44 “in that development will be permitted for residential and general industrial use, provided that residential element is located on land to the east of the River Team, and accounts for no more than 60% of the total floor space of any development, whilst general industrial uses are restricted to the west of the River Team.”

2.5.5 Teams Neighbourhood Action Plan The Teams Neighbourhood Action Plan identifies the main challenges facing the neighbourhood of Teams as45: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Not enough neighbourhood facilities or access to shops A poor pedestrian environment, especially subways and footbridges Too many rented flats that aren’t popular and attract anti-social behaviour Communities that are split or cut off by roads, railways and industrial sites Poorly designed homes Derelict buildings and gap sites that blight the area

43

Gateshead Council, 2015. Making Spaces for Growing Places. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/2160/Scoping-report-SA-MSGP-2015/pdf/Scoping-report-SA-MSGP2015.pdf?m=636669054802000000 44 Gateshead Council, 2015. Gateshead Local Plan Policies. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/1907/Gateshead-Local-Plan-Policies-2015/pdf/Gateshead-Local-PlanPolicies-27-Mar-15.pdf?m=636669081011070000 45 Gateshead Council, 2020. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/3073/Teams

48

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3.1 S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS A critical analysis of Teams is illustrated in this strategy using SWOT (Appendix 1). The investigation was carried out in multiple visits under variable circumstances. The tables below highlight the consolidated vital findings, which will further be discussed in the next section to clarify and justify the causes of the key issues.

Table 10. Strengths and Weaknesses

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Table 11. Opportunities and Threats

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3.2 KEY ISSUES

Table 12. Crime Rank, an excerpt from Table 7 (Teams Overall Household Deprivation)

In 2019 Teams ranked as amongst one of the most deprived areas in Gateshead. In particular, the neighbourhood witnessed a sharp rise in crime ranking (Table 12) in and across primarily three areas namely Wolseley Close and Upper Millington Court, Derwent Water West Road and Ropery Road - all located in the South of Teams. (Figure 48)

Figure 48. Southern Estates, among the 10% most deprived in Gateshead

While crime levels had significantly improved within the five years from 2010 to 2015, a comparison of 2019 with the former years shows a drastic spike in criminal cases in these three areas. This rise can be attributed to spatial disconnectedness resulting from the continued uneven development within Teams. Developments have been sporadic in the past which has created a pattern of spatial imbalance and socio-spatial divide in the built environment. This is evident not only from the relatively recent private housing development ‘Staiths South Bank Estate’ in the North of Teams, intentionally designed to be distinctive and unique 46 from existing housing counterparts, but also, from the 46

See footnote 8 IDPartnership

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renowned art intervention projects47 based out of the Gateshead Riverside Park located in the North-East part of the town. In addition to contributing to low deprivation (Figure 48), this spatial negligence instigates crime in the South of Teams as the area is perceived and experienced differently by the people. Not to mention the lack of physical and social integration with the rest of the neighbourhood which adversely affects residents’ sense of belonging and ownership of these areas.

Deprivation and crime being the underlying weaknesses in the neighbourhood, can be further attributed to the following key issues which emerged from the SWOT analysis.

Figure 49. Key Issues

47

Refer to section [2.2.4.3 Public Art] for detailed information on these art sculptures.

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3.2.1 Lack of Connectivity Teams lacks an active non-motorised transportation network. The neighbourhood has a few structural provisions for both cycling and walking but these are inadequate in terms of accessibility and safety. The Tanfield Cycleway runs along a narrow and enclosed path behind the industrial area and as such lacks proper visibility. This on the one hand spatially disconnects the cycleway from the rest of Teams affecting its user potentiality and on the other hand creates an environment for anti-social behaviour which threatens user safety. Our findings show that an informal pathway has been paved into the earth from the track to access the football field (Figure 50). This not only reflects the lack of public maintenance and monitoring in the area but also the residents’ perception of the cycleway’s disconnectedness from key public spaces within the neighbourhood.

Figure 50. Access Routes to Tanfield Cycleway

Furthermore, the designated north and south access points to the cycleway have bollards likely to prevent vehicular access. This poses an accessibility challenge as the rider must dismount to veer the bicycle through. However, a recent image taken on our second site visit (Figure 51) shows that the bollards on the south end have been removed - most likely to allow access to construction machines as the cycleway is currently undergoing underground maintenance.

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Figure 51. Designated Access Routes to Tanfield Cycleway

Another hindrance to accessibility and visibility is the lack of wayfinding signs around the cycleway. Moreover, since the cycleway starts from within a privately developed housing scheme on Teams Street, it appears to be rather semiprivate and predominantly used by residents of the housing development than the wider public.

Pedestrian activity is very low in neighbourhood. While there is provision for walking, it is inadequate in terms of easy accessibility, consistent routing, and connections above ground-level. However, a lack of social and commercial activity in Teams also plays a significant role in informing a weak relationship between the residents and their built environment48.

3.2.2 Lack of Housing Uniformity The diversity of housing stock in the North and South of Teams has created a social division in the built environment. The new housing developments reflect modern design standards and a vibrant architectural style. It has facilities like open courtyards, communal playgrounds, bicycles storage quarters and enjoys easy access to the riverbank and cycleway. This is in stark comparison to the older housing stock in the South most of which is derelict area with a poor outdoor environment. The housing itself reflects low exterior quality and appeal. It further remains disconnected from the historic, natural and built environment in the North and centre of town. The period of increased crime ranking from 2015-2019 coincides with the development of the new housing project in 2015 - this could be well indicative of a further deprivation of the area in the South which already suffered from a distinctive socio-spatial divide.

48

See Footnote 22 Gateshead Council for pedestrian pathway mapping

55

Figure 52. New housing estate in North Teams (left) and old housing development in South Teams (right)

Figure 53. Facilities inside new housing developments exclusive to its residents

3.2.3 Poor Built Environment 3.2.3.1 Growing Reduction of Open Land

Table 13. Outdoor Environment Quality, extracted from Table 7 retracted from Table 12

There has been a growing reduction of open land within Teams. It has been revealed through deprivation ranking (Table 13) that the outdoor environmental quality in Teams has been getting worse over time and is among the most deprived. More and more open land for recreational and wellbeing purposes are being converted into brownfield land for housing development, further reducing publicly accessible open spaces for children and adults alike; the closed off Clasper Towers playground (Figure 54 & 55) is an example in

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case which sparked an unsuccessful public petition49. There are currently two pieces of registered brownfield land in Teams identified for the use of future housing. One portion comprises of the abandoned Teams Family Centre and the plot of land adjacent to it and the second site is located right off Askew road and becomes immediately visible upon entering Teams (Figure 56).

Figure 54. Clasper Towers Playground before closure

Figure 55. Clasper Towers Playground after closure closure

Figure 56. Registered Brownfield Land 50

49

Change.org, 2016. Save Clasper Towers- Adventure Playground. [online] Available at: https://www.change.org/p/gateshead-council-save-clasper-towers-adventure-playground 50 See footnote 28, Adapted from Gateshead Maps

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3.2.3.2 Poorly Maintained Outdoor Spaces and Facilities In the South of Teams, a space of major concern is the entrance of the Medical Centre where an empty plot of land is uncharacteristically scattered with shoes (Figure 57). Such unappealing physical conditions in the immediate vicinity of the hospital and pharmacy raise important health and wellbeing concerns for the patients and visitors.

Figure 57. Teams Medical Centre front view closure The Tanfield Cycleway and Gateshead Riverside Park have sizeable amounts of litter on track sides and pavements including broken bottles and spare cycle parts among other discarded objects. While this may indicate the frequent use of both routes, proving them as invaluable public spaces in the neighbourhood, it simultaneously also raises concern about the high prevalence of anti-social behaviour which makes these spaces visually unappealing and unsafe for others. In conjunction to this, there is quite a substantial amount of graffiti smeared across walls and indicative signboards, hampering one’s physical orientation and overall declining the desirability and quality of these community spaces. The renowned art sculptures in the Park have been subjected to vandalism and feature a heavy dose of graffiti. The Staiths – the focal landmark structure of the ward also bears the brunt of poor maintenance resulting in its physical depreciation.

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Figure 58. Tanfield Cycle Way, Graffiti, and litter

Figure 59. Gateshead Riverside Park Litter

Figure 60. Graffiti on buildings and bridges (left) and on staiths structure (right)

Figure 61. Unofficially painted arrow pointing towards the direction of Teams

Figure 62. Fly-tipping in secondary streets

The residential areas in the South are also in an unkempt state, most likely due to their physical remoteness from other parts of the neighbourhood. Fly-tipping is evident here as large electrical equipment and debris from both hazardous and non-hazardous substances including glass, wood, plastic was seen discarded along streets.

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3.2.3.3 Underutilised Buildings There are currently two sites in Teams, one a community institution and the other a local coffee shop, that remain unfunctional and underutilised. These abandoned buildings are situated off Askew Road upon entering Teams and their disuse greatly impacts the quality of the surrounding built environment. The exterior facade of the Teams’ Family Centre has been vandalised to some extent and the area around it is in dilapidated condition showing clear signs of urban decline. With criminal activity increasing over the years, vacant buildings and gap sites pose an urgent threat to the viability of these areas. More broadly, it detracts people’s appreciation of and deters their attention away from the positive elements of the neighbourhood including its strong historical identity.

Table 14. Vacant Buildings closure The Takeaway Food (Pizza Master), General Store (Teams Super Save) and the Furniture Store (Foundations Furniture) located in the same vicinity fail to meet general design and quality standards. Most of these services are not easily visible as the dull facades make one assume that the place is permanently closed and contributes to their lack of desirability. Furthermore, the entrances of Foundation Furniture and Pizza Master are located on the backside, facing away from the main Askew road further blending them into the physical environment and proving them difficult to be located by a passer-by.

These can be upgraded and revitalised into economically and socially vibrant spaces to help maintain the vitality of the neighbourhood. Despite being the only commercial area in Teams and to be advantageously located along a key public bus route passing through Askew road, it remains highly underutilised and fails to attract the passers-by as potential customers and consumers of these services.

Figure 63. Teams Family Centre closure

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Figure 64. Underutilisation of structures along Askew Road

3.3.4 Limited Retail and Commercial Activity closure

The underutilisation of the commercial area highlighted above is symptomatic of a wider issue - the considerable lack of diversity of retail and commercial services [A1, A3 and A4 class-uses]51 within Teams. Teams currently has only one retail store; the Teams Super Save, as it is called, is a small and congested convenience store with excess stock stacked on the floor along the aisles due to an apparent shortage of space. Besides this store and a few other small convenience shops at the gas stations, there are no other micro-retail chains or independent grocery stores in the neighbourhood. While there are stores in Dunston and a Metrocentre nearby, it is important to consider that these services might not be easily accessible by the older population and/or the population within Teams with limited access to automobiles.

The general industrial (B2) and car manufacture sites (Suis Generis) and services thrive within the area. However, unlike Class A services, these do not directly contribute to the socioeconomic benefit and liveability experience of residents and passers-by. With Sarah’s Coffee Shop now closed, there remains only the Pizza Master, a hot food takeaway and Staiths CafÊ. There is a clear lack of shared leisure spaces and neighbourhood facilities for the local community to use and gather at promoting Teams as a less desirable and attractive option for residents. The lack of commercial activity in Teams yields low revenue generation and more importantly, the dependence on nearby facilities makes the neighbourhood less economically competitive. The impact then is twofold: economic and social. From a social standpoint, the lack of commercial services results in the formation of low-density single-use residential areas. Since there are fewer places to walk to, there is less foot traffic which creates socio-spatial divide in the public realm giving leeway to 51

Town and Country Planning Order, 1987

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criminal and anti-social activities. Moreover, the lack of a walkable neighbourhood adversely impacts the health and wellbeing of the population. From an economic outlook, it threatens the financial viability and long-term sustainability of the neighbourhood.

Table 15. Nearby Competitors

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4.1 TEAMS VISION 2030 “To transform Teams into a densely connected, culturally vibrant and economically competitive mixed-used neighbourhood using an arts-led regeneration approach.”

4.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Table 16. Aims and Objectives

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65

5.1 OVERVIEW This section explains the four strategic proposals and their related physical interventions that would help in regenerating Teams.

66

5.2 PUBLIC REALM ENHANCEMENT

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5.2.1 Cycling Track Expansion

Figure 65. Proposed Cycling Routes

Within the public realm, the first physical intervention will be to expand the cycling network in Teams such that it forms a coherent loop. This includes creating separate cycling lanes on some of the primary and secondary roads within Teams (Figure 65) in order to create vital links with key destinations within the neighbourhood. Secondly, building dedicated cycling tracks in specific locations within the South (Figure 65) of Teams which currently remain inaccessible and disconnected from the rest of the neighbourhood and show significant signs of deprivation. And lastly, the physical and safety conditions of the existing cycling tracks (Figure 65) will be improved through track surface improvements, landscaping, upliftment of surrounding areas, and provision of lighting and street furniture. Furthermore, to encourage and enhance the overall cycling experience, bicycle parking racks will be placed along the established routes.

These extensions will significantly improve the functionality of the existing Tanfield cycling track which currently remains largely underutilised and hidden from the rest of the environment. The development of secondary routes will help recapture the appeal of this track and make it more visible in the environment, thus maximising its potentiality. Since the industrial area behind the track appears to be a prominent business activity and employment area, the enhancement of the cycling route will make the workers a direct beneficiary of this intervention. Not only will it influence mobility behaviours by encouraging a shift towards a more sustainable mode of transportation but will make the track’s use more inclusive and popular amongst the rest of the community. Furthermore,

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an expanded and well-integrated cycling network will improve the physical and mental health and well-being of the local community.

5.2.2 Outdoor Spaces Improvement The second intervention will specifically seek to improve the quality of the outdoor environment within Teams. This includes refurbishing existing green spaces including parks and playgrounds which are in poor condition, as well as establishing pocket parks on plots of land and leftover spaces off main roads which are either unused, undeveloped, or derelict.53

Figure 66. Proposed Pocket Parks

As mentioned in Section 4, a plot of land scattered with shoe debris is located right in front of the Teams General Practice and Lloyds Pharmacy. This abandoned lot, which is currently an eyesore, will be converted into a pocket park with trees, seating, shaded areas, and a waterfall. Aside from providing a space for waiting, meeting, and relaxing, it will serve as a coffee/lunch area for hospital employees and visitors wanting a change 53

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2019. Pocket Parks: Helping Communities Transform Unloved, Neglected Or Derelict Areas Into New Green Spaces. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/852241/191 025_PP_Prospectus.pdf

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of physical environment. As shown in Figure 66, four additional pocket parks have been proposed around the industrial area on Clockmill Road and Teams Street, where some of the housing is located. These serve as opportunistic locations to uplift the isolated and deprived part of the town and provide mini open spaces for the immediate resident population in these areas. Lastly, a pocket park located off Palmerston Walk in the northeast of Teams will serve as a multifunctional urban amenity and add to the communal character of the area once the Clasper Housing site is redeveloped.

The appeal and quality of the existing parks and open spaces in Teams including the Riverside Gateshead Park, Saltmarsh Gardens, Tanfield Track will be enhanced through refurbishment activities. As highlighted in Chapter 4, the state of these parks is rundown, parts of them showing signs of vandalism and decay of artworks. This strategy recognises that children are key beneficiaries of every community; hence, an appropriate number and variation of facilities should be dedicated for their activities. Moreover, with the closure of Claspers Towers Playground and removal of play facilities to make way for housing, there is an even urgent need to upgrade the remaining children’s facilities in the neighbourhood. The Play Area within the retail bloc off Askew Road possesses great potential for improvement – this will be achieved through designing different coloured and textured landscaped areas for diverse activities, placement of outdoor street furniture, and provision of varied playground equipment.

5.2.3 Enhancing the Street Environment This third intervention will seek to activate the street environment using various art mediums. Teams, much like the wider Gateshead, has a growing art scene and as such possesses great potential to be converted into the next art hub.

Given the large evidence of graffiti tagging on walls and structures within Teams, this weakness can be converted into a strength by making graffiti murals legal on certain designated walls within the neighbourhood. As highlighted in Figure 67, these include the wall along Tanfield Cycleway adjacent to the industrial area, the wall underneath the Redheugh bridge in the north-east of Teams, and the wall along Teams Street. Not only will these graffiti murals make the streets visually aesthetic and engaging but written evidence shows that if specific areas within the neighbourhood are officially authorised for graffiti painting, then the issue of indiscriminate graffiti on unpermitted facades and objects is largely eliminated.54

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London Assembly, 2002. Graffiti In London. Report of the London Assembly Graffiti Investigative Committee. [online] Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_migrate_files_destination/archives/assembly-reportsenvironment-graffiti.pdf

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Figure 67. Graffiti Walls’ Location

The Gateshead Riverside Park is home to numerous art sculptures developed in collaboration with local and international artists in the past. To build onto this cultural identity and legacy, additional public art installations are being proposed initially in four locations including the main roundabout that leads into Teams (Figure 68). Depending on the recognition and success of these artworks, more spaces within Teams can be identified for artworks. The ultimate goal is to transform Teams into an open street art gallery with self-navigable art/sculpture trails.

These diversified art initiatives promoting local artists will generate street activity through increased pedestrian flow and as an effect, make the streets safer. Instead of employing traditional policing strategies, art on the streets will create favourable conditions for social control and informal surveillance of the physical environment. Culturally, these interventions will provide a local distinctiveness to Teams.

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Figure 68. Art Features’ Locations

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5.3 EQUALIZING SOCIO-SPATIAL ACTIVITY 5.3 EQUALISING SOCIO-SPATIAL ACTIVITY

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This proposal aims to equalise the socio-spatial activity within Teams through focused interventions in the South. The expansion of the Community Centre and development of an Art Gallery will uplift the area, both socially and economically, lowering crime and deprivation.

5.3.1 Community Centre Expansion Since the Community Centre is the only shared public facility within Teams, it is important to upscale it to accommodate the community’s growing socio-cultural needs. Some of the green land outside the community centre remains unused and will be used for the building expansion. One half of it will be converted into indoor space to develop a soft play area, a swimming pool and a community gym. The other half of the Play Area will be designated as the Centre’s outdoor space which can potentially be used to hold community events and outdoor activities.

Figure 69. Community Centre Expansion

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5.3.2 Art Interventions Public art is of prime importance in this strategy, and will be used to regenerate Teams, especially the deprived areas in the South. The establishment of an Art Gallery is the most strategic and significant of these physical interventions. This public gallery will support local and regional artists, host artist workshops for community members, and ongoing exhibitions. It will include an outdoor recreational space that will act as an events space, a focal point for social interaction within the community.

The gallery seeks to preserve and promote the industrial heritage of Teams. It will enhance the image of the area, the street scene, as well as improve the quality of life, consequently, reinstating a sense of community identity and belonging to the area. It will attract an art community which could potentially evolve into a flourishing art industry in the foreseeable future. This cultural hallmark would ultimately contribute to the financial sustainability of the neighbourhood, and that of wider Gateshead.

Figure 70 highlights three sites within Teams that were considered for this intervention.

However, after weighing the pros and cons for each (Table 17), the former Teams Family Centre (Site 2) which the council has already earmarked for demolition was selected for development. A gallery in this location will provide a strategic gateway to the South of Teams, which is currently more impoverished than the rest of the neighbourhood. By bringing much-needed social and economic activity to the area, it will gradually eradicate the existing socio-spatial divide.

Figure 70. Gallery’s Site Alternatives

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Table 17. Site Rationale

5.3.3 Supporting Gallery Facilities To support the gallery’s long-term growth and increase the scale of art interventions across Teams, artist studios will be developed within the mixed-use housing projects.

These flexible and affordable workspaces will attract and accommodate a vibrant artist community to Teams and enable them to collaborate with local organisations and Gateshead council to deliver art-led regeneration activities.

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5.4 5.4 COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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5.4.1 Retail Zone Upgrade The first strategic intervention involves upscaling the retail zone bounded along Askew Road in the South. This area currently comprises of 9 adjoining units, of which five remain vacant and underutilised (Figure 71). This weakens the functionality and stimulation of economic value of the existing services, which further limits retail growth.

Figure 71. Retail Zone

This strategy proposes a new purpose-built design for the retail zone prioritising user accessibility and visibility (Figure 72). The CPTED framework highlights that increasing visibility in a space can result in a better sense of mobility and security. A visible design will also bring more footfall and economic returns to the area. The expansion of retail in the zone could serve beneficial to the growth of local community businesses such as Teams Super Save Store.

The first strategic intervention involves upscaling the retail zone bounded along Askew Road. This area currently comprises of 9 and adjoining units, of which five remain vacant and underutilised (Figure 71). This detracts the function and economic value of the existing services, which further limits retail growth.

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Figure 72. Visibility Opportunities

5.4.2 Commerce in the Gallery This intervention involves yielding commercial benefits from the proposed art gallery. An ongoing revenue stream generated from the gallery’s facilities and activities including a cafÊ/bistro, art exhibitions, artist-led workshops, givings and donations, will strengthen Team’s economy and sustain it in the long-run. To enable the wide variety of functions, the site will be expanded beyond the existing boundary of Teams Family centre (Figure 73).

Figure 73. Gallery Proposal

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5.4.3 Supporting Gallery Facilities This commercial intervention entails the establishment of artist studios within the mixeduse housing scheme for Clasper Village. The rent from these occupied studios will create a recurrent stream of commercial revenue for Teams. This money will be reinjected into art-based projects and interventions to support the neighbourhood’s continued transformation into a thriving art hub.

The first site within Clasper Village is the former Wolseley Close play area which has been earmarked by the local council for construction of 40 housing units. The site is strategically located along Askew Road – a popular public bus route with high frequency of bus stops. Hence, the artist studios will attract great visual attention and contribute to the aesthetic appeal of the housing (Figure 74).

Figure 74. First Proposal Area, Former Wolseley Close Play Area

The second site within Clasper Village is relatively larger and allocated for the construction of 151 housing units (Figure 75). More artist studios will be developed in the NorthEastern part of this site (dotted boundary in pink). Currently, there exists two public artwork features ‘Once Upon a Time’ and ‘Phoenix Cobbles’ outside its boundary however, they show signs of graffiti and vandalism. It is hoped that the development of studios will help perceive a safe environment and reduce anti-social activity in the area. It is therefore critical that the studios are built in a way that increases street visibility and enables social control of the area. This intervention will be more effective than using organised surveillance (policemen), which can create an intimidating environment and discourage the use of space altogether.

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Although its socioeconomic value is low, the North-Eastern front has an abundance of catchment viewpoints as it is surrounded by major routes. These include the view to the River Tyne, the view of the Redheugh Bridge and the A189, and the view of Tyne Road.

Figure 75. Second Proposal Area, North Eastern

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5.5 Future Housing Developments

5.5 FUTURE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

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Using a community-led approach, this strategy seeks to increase the housing supply in Teams through two primary interventions: the development of Clasper Village and longterm Gasworks Housing project.

Figure 76. Housing Development Prototype

5.5.1 Clasper Village This intervention targets the former Clasper Village site outlined in pink (figure 77), which has already been designated for housing development by the local council. Several communal facilities and open spaces of value to Teams including Wolseley Close play area, have previously been demolished on this site.

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Key to this strategy is a community-led model, to prevent future housing developments from creating further housing inequality, urban sprawl and gentrification in the neighbourhood. Design considerations will be made with mutual support from the community allowing for an overall unified development. The strategy aims to run parallel to the existing proposals of Wates Construction for the redevelopment of Clasper Village but with slight amendments, to assure the delivery of affordable homes and compensate for the loss of open space (figure 77) and financial resources invested in Clasper Tower’s playground and former Wolseley Close play area.

Figure 77. Loss of Open Space

5.5.2 Gasworks Site Redevelopment The second intervention proposed for the long-term involves the effective utilisation of the former gasworks site in Teams (outlined in orange in figure 76). It will consist of affordable mixed-tenure housing units and communal green spaces. It will also incorporate an extension of the existing Tanfield cycle track. However, as the site is still in the possession of Northern Gas networks, negotiations between all parties must precede the initiation of development to gain consent.

Due to the nature of the gasworks being formerly industrial, long-term remediation will be required. The scope of this proposal involves changing the permitted class uses of the site from B1b, B1c, B2, B8 [business and industrial use] to C3 [dwelling houses] and D2 [assembly and leisure]. This will in turn allow for the development of mixed tenure and shared outdoor space within housing, thereby addressing the diverse housing needs and preferences of residents.

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6.1 OVERVIEW This section delineates the implementation process for the aforementioned strategies, highlighting where necessary, the required land ownership and acquisition procedures, phasing period, survey assessments, community consultations, and need for postimplementation maintenance. All proposals conform to the Development Management: Urban Design Guidance55 and thereby ensure: • • • • • •

Effective use of Land use and Ecology Mix of Accommodation and Tenure/ Community Facilities Integration with Existing Infrastructure and Built Environment Long Team Management and Maintenance Distinct Character and Specific Scheme Design Safer Streets

A Public Life Approach To further enhance their effectiveness, all strategic interventions incorporate principles of CPTED. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is a ‘multi-disciplinary approach for crime prevention that uses urban and architectural design and the management of built and natural 56 environments.’ 57 It seeks to minimise crime and deprivation through three methods58: • • •

Natural surveillance using physical design upgrades Organised surveillance using human and professional presence Mechanical surveillance using hardware security

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Newcastle City Council, 2010. Development Management. Urban Design Guidance. [online] Available at: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/49140056/urban-design-guidance-for-pre-applications-newcastlecity-council 56 CPTED (2020) International CPTED Association Home Page. [online] Available at: https://www.cpted.net/ 57 Ibid 58 Gehl Institute, n.d. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. A Public Life Approach. [online] Available at: https://gehlinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/CPTED-Public-Life-Approach.pdf

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6.2 STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION 6.2.1. Public Realm Enhancement 6.2.1.1. Cycling Track Expansion Cycling network will be expanded in Teams through connections to main roads, dedicated cycling tracks, and improvements to the existing infrastructure. Improvements to the existing Tanfield cycling track will be carried out in the first phase. As highlighted in Chapter 4, currently, the Tanfield cycleway is a long and narrow path enclosed with thick vegetation and trees on one side and an industrial wall on the other. This kind of landscape impedes its visibility and opportunity for passive surveillance from the surrounding areas, making the environment conducive to anti-social activities. Thus, in order to create perceptions of user-safety and make the track more appealing, the adjacent vegetation will be cut and kept to a lower height, lighting will be installed along the track, and street furniture will be placed to enable people to sit, rest, and socially interact. The extension of the track, presence of people and overlooking buildings in sightlines will all play a role in the cycling track’s passive surveillance. The same upgrades will be made to the tracks within Saltmarsh Gardens in the west and the Gateshead Riverside in the east to improve their physical outlook and safety conditions. Since safety is one of the underlying problems in Teams, the cycling routes especially should engender feelings of personal security through the use of CCTV and streetlights. Furthermore, diverse kinds of way-finding signage including road markings, direction fingerposts and signboards will be placed along all cycling routes to ensure visibility and connectedness.

In addition to direction, these will indicate the distance to major links and destinations within Teams. In areas around popular public spaces and heritage sites, on-street maps showing the cycling loop route with an indication of start/finish points and the cyclist’s current location will be placed to make cycling more efficient.

The second phase of expansion will entail creating separate cycling lanes on three primary roads including Askew Road West, Tyne Road East, and Teams Street. The proposed lanes will be covered in bright red/green tarmac and physically demarcated from the traffic lane by a thin strip of vegetation or white markings. However, for secondary streets like Yetholm Road, Upton Street, Johnson Street, Amberley Street where the width of the road is small and traffic flow is low being mainly residential areas, existing footpaths will be converted into shared-paths for both cyclists and pedestrians. This would help solve the current problem of car-parking on footpaths which makes the streets anti-pedestrian.

Extension of the Tanfield Cycling Track with Abbeyfield Close and Ropery Road will also take place during this phase. Abbeyfield Close is a dead-end street with a small opening that leads into the Tanfield Track – a proper cycling track will be built on this street which will provide a direct and accessible entry into the Tanfield track. Similarly, the back

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entrance to the Powerleague club is from the Ropery Road, close to the junction where the track ends. To better integrate it with this key community facility, the track will be extended.

The third phase of expansion will take place in the long-term since it will require proper remediation of the former gasworks site. A track extending out of the existing Tanfield cycleway will pass through the industrial gasworks site and open into Teams Street. This new cycle route will not only bring much-needed activation to the industrial activity area in Teams which remains a deprived part of the neighbourhood but opening up more parts of the Tanfield cycleway and integrating it with the surrounding areas will make it more visible and safer. Moreover, as the gasworks site post-remediation will be converted into a housing development, the cycle track will provide an additional recreational benefit to the new residents. However, before the construction can start, an ecological and pollution assessment will need to be carried out to ensure the track’s viability. The River Team in the South is expected to be cleaned by 202759, thus, once the riverside is enhanced, there is a long-term opportunity to create a continuous dedicated cycling track along the river linking it to Staiths Walkway. To ensure consistency of route, the Tanfield Track will further extend out of the Ropery Road and to the new cycling track along River Team.

These two tracks proposed for the long-term will be crucial in creating a strong physical connection between the North-East and South-West parts of Teams.

Preceding implementation, traffic assessment surveys will be carried out to evaluate motor traffic volume, speed and composition on the aforementioned identified streets and roads to determine whether these can be safely used for cycling routes, as well as to determine any other new streets which are used more frequently and are potentially missing links in the network. At this stage, a Cycle Route Implementation and Stakeholder Plan (CRISP)60 should also be carried out with the local community in order to utilise local cycle users’ knowledge and gain their input on the routes proposed.

Lastly, given the high level of vandalism and anti-social behaviour along the Tanfield Track, it is imperative that a Maintenance Strategy61 in consultation with the Gateshead Council and local community is implemented. This will include the type and frequency of targeted maintenance activities to be carried out by the authorities as well as any

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Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council, 2011. Green Infrastructure Study - Evidence Base. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/1863/163-SD-NewcastleGateshead-Green-InfrastructureStudy-Evidence-Base/pdf/163.-SD-NewcastleGateshead-Green-Infrastructure-Study-EvidenceBase.pdf?m=636657845192370000 60 Deegan, B. and Parkin, J., 2011. Planning Cycling Networks: Human Factors And Design Processes. [online] Available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/16706148.pdf 61 Department for Transport, 2008. Local Transport Note 2/08. Cycle Infrastructure Design. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/329150/ltn2-08_Cycle_infrastructure_design.pdf

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community mobilisation or volunteer programs that will lead to long-term behavioural change.

8 Cycling proposals 62 Figure 78.

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Image Sources ©Cyclenation ©Marshalls ©Joel Beachman ©Urban&Public

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6.2.1.2. Outdoor Spaces Improvement In 2019, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launched a ÂŁ1.35 million pocket park funding scheme across England to encourage local communities to create new parks or renovate existing parks that have fallen into disrepair. The government believes that pocket parks help shape local identity, overcome social isolation and create a sense of belonging to a neighbourhood. While the scheme does not include funding for general maintenance or repairs, which is the responsibility of the local council, the focus is on community-led proposals from a voluntary sector group which demonstrate a specific local need.63 Under this scheme, the Lloyds Pharmacy and General Practice (NHS) can secure funding to develop a pocket park on the abandoned plot of land in front of their facilities.

The refurbishment of existing parks will proactively follow the CPTED principles in order to prevent them from deteriorating and falling into disrepair in the future. Firstly, multiple paved pathways and transitional areas will be created throughout the parks, dead-ends will be removed, and vegetation (shrubs, trees, grass, bushes, foliage) will be trimmed and prevented from overgrowing so as to produce clear sightlines and allow unobstructed views from people in places with low visibility. Moreover, interactive park furniture will be placed where appropriate. These measures will create informal monitoring conditions for natural surveillance by the public and consequently, reduce anti-social activities in the parks. This will be aided with surveillance technologies including installation of proper lighting and CCTV cameras, especially in high-crime spots within parks and around entrances and exits. Secondly, in areas where there are art sculptures, natural barriers such as pavement texturing, landscaping, low hedging, low flowerbeds can be designed to create subtle boundaries. This distinction will physically limit some measure of access to these public objects and make the users less inclined to vandalise them with graffiti.

Thirdly, the image of the place/maintenance informs the behaviour of the users within them. Well-kept and esthetically pleasant environments indicate that people are in control of the area, whereas poor physical conditions encourage anti-social behaviour because the (ab)users perceive the space to be unmonitored and abandoned. It is therefore important that these parks are consistently well-kept; paths and sidewalks free of litter and debris, and hardscapes and signboards free of graffiti and vandalism in order to attract positive behaviour.64

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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2019. Pocket Parks: helping communities transform unloved, neglected or derelict areas into new green spaces. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/852241/191 025_PP_Prospectus.pdf 64 Is CPTED Useful to Guide the Inventory of Safety in Parks? A Study Case in Stockholm, Sweden, 2016. SAGE journals. [online] Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1057567716639353

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However, before starting refurbishment work in existing parks, a public review and community consultation session will be held in order to hear first-hand the problems and threats faced by park-users (residents of Teams) and seek their input on the solutions proposed to tackle these threats.

Figure 79. Outdoor spaces 65

6.2.1.3. Enhancing the Street Environment A proposal to legalise graffiti on designated walls within Teams will be put forward.

Currently, there is evidence of ‘tagging’ within the neighbourhood which can be described as graffiti which includes writer’s signature. The proposal submitted to the local council will instead suggest graffiti ‘murals’ which is a more artistic and comprehensive form of 65

Image Sources: © CelebrationHealth ©Simon Kennedy photography ©is-architects ©Landscape Structures Inc ©Espace Libre.

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graffiti done on walls in an organised manner. These will be carried out as ongoing graffiti projects for local artists to come and exhibit their work under the supervision of authorities. Furthermore, these walls will need to be well-maintained and regularly looked after to avoid illegal tagging on them.

Site-specific public art installations, in specific areas identified within Teams [figure 68] will be commissioned by the local council. There will be an open call for local, regional and international artists and after artist selection, the whole process from concept design to artwork fabrication and installation would take a minimum of 10 months. In the future, sculpture exhibitions could potentially be held annually within Teams using the public realm as a 360° gallery space. Held in partnership with local businesses, artist groups, developers, private associations, non-profit organisations these exhibitions would attract and encourage local and international artists to animate the public space with creative artworks. An art consultant/agency would be hired to assess, manage, and advise on artist applications, work with the local authority to seek planning permissions and conduct public consultation exercises. However, the human capital, funding, and public interest required to successfully plan and execute this large-scale recurring project will likely be available in the near future once the art gallery is developed, fully operational and in a capacity to support this initiative, as well as the ancillary facilities including artist studios developed to house the selected artists.

Figure 80. Art Interventions Examples

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Image Sources: ©Grey Travels ©Andrew Curtis @thecryptofiend ©Gouwenaar

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6.2.2. Equalising Socio-Spatial Activity

Figure 81. Allocated Sites for the Proposal

6.2.2.1 Community Centre Expansion In Figure 81, Site 1 represents the Community Centre which was created in 2015 by the Dunston Family Church after obtaining a 30-year lease from Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council67. Its expansion will therefore be undertaken with the co-operation of these two bodies to ensure the Centre’s long-term sustainability.

As previously mentioned, the expansion will enable the development of indoor facilities such as a soft play area since recreational facilities for kids are limited within Teams. It will also include an indoor swimming pool and a community gym both of which will help foster social inclusion and contribute towards better health and well-being. The possibility of providing additional facilities will be explored through consultations with the local community.

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Dunston Family Church, nd. Teams Life Centre: About Us. [online] Available at: http://www.teamslifecentre.co.uk/about-us/index.shtml

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Figure 82. Soft Play Area68

Figure 83. Community Indoor Swimming Pool69

The Centre’s outdoor area will serve as an event space that will enhance the Centre’s social role in the community. The events will vary depending on the theme, the targeted age group, and the season. For example, outdoor cinemas could target all members as well as non-residents and provide a space for community cohesion. The expanded Community Centre will continue to be run by the Dunston Family Church and will be monitored through a collective effort between the Church, Teams Community Groups (trained and supported during the consultation process) and Teams Trust which will provide funding for large-scale events.

Figure 84. Outdoor Event Example 70

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Image Source ©iPlayCO Image Source ©Bread and Butter Tiles 70 Image Source ©BMOREART 69

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6.2.2.2 Art Gallery Establishment and Supporting Facilities In Figure 81, Site 2 illustrates the Former Teams Family Centre which is a registered brownfield site earmarked for demolition by Gateshead Council. Sites 3 and 4 are also registered as brownfield lands. These sites have been allocated for potential developments in the Making Spaces for Growing Places Policy. The development of an art gallery therefore supports the suggested policy by reusing the site ‘to provide the opportunity for a high quality of life for everyone and to enhance the well-being of people to reduce inequalities’71.

The gallery will act as Teams’ creative hub, contributing to its evolving art culture and catering to the community through artist workshops, exhibitions, and affordable studios.

It will help create a more resilient Teams by offering art programs that engage at-risk youth. It will further collaborate with Gateshead Council to undertake work on the public artworks and graffiti walls with the help of Teams Community Groups. The gallery will serve as an invaluable platform enabling partnerships between artists from within the North East. The gallery’s outdoor area can be used by the primary school in Teams to host workshops and educational events. Moreover, along with the inhouse café/bistro it will function as a social space for all members of the community.

Figure 85. Group Workshop 72

Figure 87. Art Studio

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Figure 86. Kids Workshop73

Figure 88. Outdoor Art Event 75

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Newcastle City Council, 2010. Development Management. Urban Design Guidance. [online] Available at: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/49140056/urban-design-guidance-for-pre-applications-newcastlecity-council 72 Image Source ©Sébastien Roy 73 Image Source ©Emma Prill 74 Image Source ©Ian Jackson (artinliverpool.com) 75 Image Source ©Newbury News and Media Limited

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Ouseburn is an inspiring case example of urban renewal through art-led regeneration.

The former industrial area was transformed into a vibrant hub for the arts and creative industries; its factories and warehouses remodelled into studios, cinemas, and exhibition venues, and streets functioning as an open art gallery.

Figure 89. One of Ouseburn’s Open Studios 76

Figure 90. Great Exhibition of the North in Ouseburn77

The gallery will be run, monitored and maintained jointly by the Community Groups and Teams Trust alongside Arts Council England. As for the gallery’s supporting facilities, the responsibility of maintaining and monitoring them will be a collective effort between the community groups, the Trust and the private developer/housing association that will be undertaking the future mixed-use housing development.

Since the allocated sites for the Gallery and Community Centre expansion are located close to each other, the construction will happen in phases to prevent traffic congestions and noise pollution. The gallery will be developed first since the former Teams Family Centre will need to be demolished. The Centre’s expansion will follow thereafter. The artist studios will be established once the mixed-use housing development starts.

Before the implementation phase, a Brownfield Assessment will be carried out to assess the viability of land as well as a Traffic Assessment and Traffic Generation survey to assess current and future movement in the area.

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Image Source ©Maryam Alnoaimi Image Source ©Heather on her Travels

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6.2.3. Commercial Development 6.2.3.1 Retail Zone Upgrade The upscaling and facelift of the retail zone will entail the (Figure 91): ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Creation of new entrances (B and C) An extension connecting the units by entrance B Levelling of land for improved physical accessibility Development of an outdoor public seating area

To ensure the strategic visibility of the retail zone from Askew Road, there will have to be a loss of shrubbery; thus, an environmental impact assessment will be carried out to ensure the protection of natural resources when clearing the area. Furthermore, a retail capacity assessment will be undertaken to inform developers of the needs of each unit and to identify capacity for additional units.

Figure 91. Retail Zone Upgrading

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Figure 92. Accessibility for shoppers

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To undertake this intervention, owners of the existing retail units will be approached for consultation and informed of the benefits of the scheme to them. For the duration of its reconstruction, they will be financially supported through the Business Enterprise Fund in North East England to compensate for the losses faced by their businesses.

The reconstruction and renovation of the privately owned units within the retail zone will be supported by the Regional Growth Fund(RGF). The RGF in the past, has invested in the private sector to create economic growth and lasting employment opportunities. The NHS Property is another potential funding source, given the Teams General Practice’s proximity to the retail zone which has an indirect impact on its physical outlook and environment. It can therefore contribute towards the development of a shared outdoor seating area.

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Image Sources ©Shutterstock ©PA ©University of Oxford

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6.2.3.2 Commerce in Gallery The regeneration of Teams relies significantly on the development of the gallery, which will be supported by the national government’s Growing Places Fund.

A social impact assessment will be carried out to identify how the art gallery might directly or indirectly adversely affect residents in the vicinity, or the broader community in Teams.

Figure 93. Gallery Accessibility

Early Commerce – The gallery will require staff members to run services and facilitate activities, thus immediate employment and volunteering positions will be available following construction. Independent local businesses, existing [staithes café] or new, will be encouraged to run the gallery’s inhouse café. The café will sell commissioned artwork and home-made souvenirs created by local artists and community members. A proceed of these sales will go towards the upkeep and maintenance of the gallery. Additionally, larger inhouse exhibition spaces will be rented to artists willing to showcase their work adding revenue to the gallery and spaces will be designed to be multifunctional to allow visual arts, performing arts, and vocational activities. Similarly, artist-led workshops will be a lucrative source of commerce.

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Figure 94. Café Sales Activities 79

Future Commerce – In future, as the gallery begins to generate enough commercial revenue, it will be in a position to culturally activate the wider Teams, particularly the struggling Dunston Staiths. A case study of Durham Lumiere Festival commissioned by the Durham Council80proves that visual arts can be used to reinstate the cultural and historical significance of existing structures in Teams, as was done during the reopening of the Staithes in 2016 (Figure 95). The activity will engage artists living in the area and attract the broader population of Gateshead and Newcastle, creating a more extensive scope for commercial collaboration in Teams.

Figure 95. Dunston Staithes Lite-Show 2016 81

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Image Adapted from ©Damien Hirst Durham County Council, 2020. Lumiere Festival [online] Available at: https://www.lumiere-festival.com/ 81 Image Soucre ©History of Dunston 80

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6.2.3.3 Supporting Gallery Facilities The strategy aims to see the delivery of at least 20 artist studios in Clasper Village facilitated by building developers, Gateshead council and Wates Construction. An open studio is a space in which artists invite the public to visit their workshops. Such studios encourage business activity in what would otherwise have been a private space.

Incorporating the studios within housing creates a semi-private and semi-public space (Figure 96). Thus, the space does not solely rely on rent, but also the artist’s earnings.

For the open studios to thrive, two strategic locations were identified in the strategy: ▪ ▪

North Eastern site, Clasper Village Wolseley Close, Clasper Village.

Figure 96. Building Multifunctionality

The design of the open studios in these two areas will involve proactivity by the artist.

The following procedures will occur: ▪

▪ ▪

▪

Sales of the studio and adjoining housing space by the developer. These should include interventions that allow for changeable signage for orientation across Teams.

The occupied studio spaces should undergo risk assessments before opening to the public to ensure the safety of both visitors and the artist.

Registration of artists and their open studios, to be undertaken in association with the gallery. This will require registration fee, consent to a code of conduct, stated benefit to the gallery and support with general publicity.

Opening of the studio by the occupant to the public to view and buy art.

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The North Eastern site of Clasper village. The first units suggested are in the NorthEastern site of Clasper village between Gateshead Riverside Park and Tyne Road East.

Figure 97 depicts the proposed lower and upper floor open studios as part of the residential building, noticeable from Redheugh Bridge. Open studios can generate immediate commercial activity as the visitor has a direct opportunity to talk first-hand with the content creator and to view the work in its original setting.

Figure 97. North East Clasper Village view from Redheugh bridge

Wolseley Close is listed amongst the most deprived areas. Although it is situated along Askew Road; vegetation and the sunken earth currently make it hidden. Since Askew road is such a key street leading up to the gallery and retail zone, the open studios can both benefit from and contribute to the chain of activity. Open studios are being proposed on the ground level, encouraging pedestrians and cyclists to engage with nearby facilities.

At night the interventions can improve the security of the area while still showcasing the artist’s work to the passing pedestrians and buses. The figures below depict this street scene.

102

Figure 98. Wolseley Close area montage by Day

Figure 99. Wolseley Close area montage by Night

103

6.2.4. Future Housing Development 6.2.4.1 The Redevelopment of Clasper Village

Figure 100. Plans for new homes in Gateshead 82

The strategy will retain the future development of Clasper Village which has already been allocated for housing by Gateshead Council. Funding has been made available through the government’s £450 million Local Authority Accelerated Construction Programme (LAAC), of which Gateshead Council has secured a £1.8 million deal with Homes England.

The funding will help to accelerate the planning process and bring forward the development of the much-needed new homes.

Leading North East contractor, Wates Construction have agreed to partner with Gateshead Council to support the redevelopment of the former 1960s Clasper Village Estate, with proposals yet to be submitted to the council for approval. As it currently stands, Clasper Village comprises of a 12-acre brownfield site that is undergoing demolition to make way for two, three- and four-bedroom houses as well as two-bedroom apartments, to meet the growing demands and broaden the range of housing available within Gateshead. The future developments will consist of 29 different housing styles, including 44 two-, 69 three- and 30 four-bedroom houses, in addition to 42 two-bedroom 82

Image Source ©Wates

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apartments spread across the site. Of the new homes, there will be 162 that will be made available on the open market through Gateshead Councils Beacon Living brand, with another 29 homes; 5 houses and 24 apartments that will be available for affordable rent with a social landlord83.

Figure 101. Sites allocated for housing – Clasper Village and Wolseley Play Area

It must be stated that the redevelopment of Clasper Village has come at the expense of Clasper Tower’s play area (shown below in both figure 102 & 103) which had an estimated value of £350 million, making its demolition an enormous financial loss, especially at a time when government resources were already being strained. Similarly, the area marked off in green (figure 101) known as Wolseley Close Play Area will be made an extension to the redevelopment of Clasper Village, resulting in a significant loss of open space that could otherwise have been used as a play area.

83

Ibid

105

Figure 102. Clasper Towers after closure

Figure 103. Clasper Towers Playground

This strategy seeks to integrate the provision of green spaces throughout the redevelopment of Clasper Village where appropriate, bringing with it both mental and physical health benefits, softening the visual impact from the majority residential developments. In addition, this strategy proposes the introduction of a minimum of 20 studio spaces to be incorporated into the development of Clasper Village. The rationale behind the studios has been explained in section 5.4.3 and 6.2.3.3 to unveil them as facilities supporting the longevity of the art gallery. However, the implementation of this will be at the discretion of developers and other stakeholders due to this action requiring a potential change in class use (Suis Generis) to permit the development of studio space.

Nonetheless, it is envisioned that by going forward with this proposal and acquiring space for studios will in turn give back some space to the community, reinstating a sense of community ownership.

This housing initiative will be accomplished, through the mobilisation of grassroots organisations that have a stake in the area and ensuring that they are consulted at each stage of the planning process, so that material considerations are made informatively.

Likewise, this strategy will carefully monitor that all planning proposals align with guidance from the NPPF and as such it remains the responsibility of plan makers to collaborate with the local community, developers as well as other stakeholders, to ensure proposals are realistic and deliverable. The drafting of proposals ought to be iterative and informed by engagement with developers (Wates Construction) and landowners, along with infrastructure and affordable housing providers84. Moreover, the NPPF is explicit when stating that affordable homeownership should account for 10% of intended developments, of which we can already see 29 homes out of a total of 191 have provisionally been put forward for affordable rent, thus conforming to the framework.

84

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2019. NPPF. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/810197/NPP F_Feb_2019_revised.pdf

106

The development of the site is projected to build 40 dwellings each year up until the end of 2024, in which it will deliver the remaining 31 dwellings in 2025. This projection can be said to fall in line with NPPF requirements, in which councils must have a fixed supply of sites ready for development, to meet housing needs for the next five years85.

6.2.4.2 Gasworks Site Redevelopment

Figure 104. Sites Allocated for Housing

Also key to this strategy is the conversion of the former gasworks site (outlined in orange in figure 104) into affordable residential housing with leisure facilities and communal green spaces, along with the expanded Tanfield cycle track that will pass through the site and lead to Teams Street (see section 6.2.1.1). It is important to highlight that this will be a gradual process, due to the nature of the gasworks being formerly industrial, longterm remediation will be required and the time frame cannot be made definitive, similarly multiple viability assessments will have to be carried out before development can in fact go ahead. Not to mention that the site has been retained by Northern Gas Networks, thus negotiations between stakeholders must precede before development is initiated.

It is likely that the remediation assessment will raise issues for the viability of development should there arise the need to remove contaminated materials off the site.

85

Gateshead Council, 2018. Gateshead Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Update. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/10110/Gateshead-Strategic-Housing-Land-Availability-UpdateSeptember-2018/pdf/SHLAA_Update_2018_Report_and_Appendices.pdf?m=636761538682330000

107

However, this will be crucial for residential development, and in the best interest of health and well-being, and the environment of open spaces within the housing.

Figure 105. Gasworks site 86

Moreover, the extent of contamination will inevitably vary from site to site thus making it difficult to assign a cost without intrusive site investigation, a process which in itself can be costly. Yet, this up-front cost can generally be absorbed by the larger volume housebuilders with greater cash flow compared to SME builders who have a much smaller cash flow making it difficult for them to afford high up-front costs 87 . Alternatively, remediation notices can be issued to the appropriate person responsible to carry out the necessary remediation of contaminated land, subsequently reducing the cost incurred by the local council.

Once land has been acquired and deemed suitable for development, the next step will be to request the change of permitted land use from business use (B1b, B1c, B2 and B8) to dwelling houses (C3) and assembly and leisure (D2). However, it must be noted that existing national and local policy may hinder certain elements of this particular proposal from materialising due to certain sites allocated within the MSGP (Making Spaces Growing Places) not meeting the requirements to allow for the change in land use. Although, it is ultimately at the discretion of the council;

86

Image Source ŠTanfield Railway Blog.

Gateshead Council, n.d. Housing Delivery Test Action Plan. [online] Available at: https://www.local.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Housing%20Delivery%20Action%20Plan%20for%20Gates head.pdf 87

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“proposals for non-employment uses at LEAs (Local Employment Areas) should be considered on their merits, with regard to relevant policies of the CSUCP and other MSGP policies (when identifying potential constraints to development and opportunities for mitigation). […] accordingly, application of paragraph 120 of the NPPF requires applicants to demonstrate that there is no reasonable prospect of specific sites within LEAs coming forward for B1b, B1c, B2 or B8 uses and, in accordance with criterion b of paragraph 120, demonstrate that the proposed use would contribute towards meeting an unmet need for development in the area.”88

Figure 106. Transformation of Gasworks Site

As a result, modifying the existing land use from industrial to residential should also help to achieve the 2030 vision89 set out by Gateshead Council in building a more sustainable future, not only through remediation of contaminated land but also through the introduction of communal green spaces and the expansion of the cycling network.

As previously mentioned, a key element of this redevelopment initiative is to offer both affordable housing and communal recreational spaces within the community to make better and safer use of the vacant land. To ensure the successful delivery of both components, a community-led approach will be used much like in the delivery of Clasper Village, whereby the community will be consulted and invited to engage with the planning process from start to finish.

88

Gateshead Council, 2019. Making Spaces For Growing Spaces. Matters, Issues and Questions: Matter 2 Economic: Prosperity. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/15564/HS-M2-01-GatesheadCouncil/pdf/HS_M2-01_Gateshead_Council.pdf?m=637039007243470000 89 Homes England, n.d. An Introduction To The Home Building Fund. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/744217/An_i ntroduction_to_the_home_building_fund_revised_September2018.pdf

109

Funding for this initiative has the potential to be secured through the £4.5 million government fund that is dedicated to the building of new homes across England.

Furthermore, priority will be granted to projects that focus on90 ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

areas of highest affordability pressures the greatest potential for early delivery clear local support projects that support policy priorities such as strengthening the Small and MediumSized Enterprises (SME) developer market, brownfield development and diversification and innovation in the housing market

All of which can be said to attribute to the future development of the gasworks works site. Equally, depending on the success of the Teams Trust fund, this could offer further funding towards the project.

90

Gateshead Strategic Partnership, 2016. Vision 2030. Our Vision for Gateshead. [online] Available at: https://educationgateshead.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Vision-2030.pdf

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6.3 POLICY FRAMEWORK

111

112

Table 18. Policy Framework

113

6.4 CONSULTATION STRATEGY 6.4.1 Overview This section will identify the different stakeholders that would be involved to develop the strategy, their levels of participation, and the tools that would ensure their effective participation and build confidence and trust to speed up the overall timeline. Engagement and consultation processes are important to make sure that a community and other interested groups’ voices are heard to reflect their needs and aspirations and to make sure a strategy is effective and deliverable. Also, consultation is important to resolve any potential conflicts between the various stakeholders.

6.4.2 Key Stakeholders To support the themes and vision, several stakeholders were selected to help achieve the goals and develop the key proposals. The stakeholders are divided into four categories depending on their influence and the how will they be affected: 1. Group 1: Most Influential and Most Affected: Dialogue- Starts from Day 1 and on-goes till the end, giving an opportunity to share and develop an effective framework of decision-making processes that ‘allows for and balances all views’ 91.

Each group relates directly to a certain or a group of goals in the selected themes. For example, due to the goals of marketing the art and heritage sector in Teams, the Art Council and Historic England will be included in the process.

2. Group 2: Most Influential and Lest Affected: Involving- This group can ‘share decisions on an ongoing basis’, resulting in ‘longer term and more influential relationships in which final decisions are made by the commissioning organisation(s)’ 92 . This group will be providing complimentary consultation to the outcomes of Group 1’s discussions to make sure their suggestions are doable effectively and to avoid any potential future concerns.

3. Group 3: Least Influential and Most Affected: Consulting- This is often one-off engagement. This group will be affected by any changes happening in the area; thus, they need to be informed, and their views would be

91

Bishop, J., 2015. The Craft Of Collaborative Planning: People Working Together To Shape Creative And Sustainable Places. Routledge.

92 Ibid, p.76

114

considered. The NHS for example, would be informed about any upgrades to their facilities in Teams.

4. Group 4: Least Influential and Least Affected: Informing- ‘Informing may also involve sharing – listening to different viewpoints, allowing people to understand differences, rather than explicitly trying to inform about decisions’93.

As a result, this group will be regularly informed throughout the stages of the decisionmaking process. However, they can participate in any public consultation events to avoid any potential conflicts.

Table 19. Consultation Stakeholders

93

Ibid, p.77

115

6.4.3. Process The consultation tools and activities will vary depending on the targeted stakeholders.

Therefore, a variety of activities are to be undertaken to ensure the highest quality of engagement, allowing a wide range of participants to be efficient players in the development process. Public participation is a major emphasis for the proposal, to ensure that any alteration or development would add value and enhance the community’s ownership and social cohesion for the long run.

6.4.3.1 The used tools and activities Stakeholders will be involved from early stages through these exercises, to allow multiple efficient stages of engagement and feedback. Also, some tools can be furtherly used after strategy preparations to keep the community engaged for the long-term. Accordingly, these activities are as follows:

1. Drop-ins Drop-ins will provide an easy and flexible platform for people to view the issues concerning them through, for example, unstaffed exhibition boards in the Staiths Café, Teams Community Centre and Powerleague Club. Also, contact details will be added to provide answers for any potential inquiries.

2. Exhibitions Exhibitions would be useful before or during every feedback session to identify what has been discussed and to keep stakeholders updated about the details of the project.

3. Suggestion boxes Suggestion boxes can be placed in the Staiths Café and Teams Community Centre to keep people engaged with the project for the long run.

4. Website A website dedicated for the strategy will be made to keep everyone updated with any updates through interactive voting and submitting inquiries.

4.1. Interactive Voting As previously mentioned, an online interactive platform for voting will allow fast information gathering and identify any raised concerns.

5. Citizens’ Juries Citizen juries will allow direct engagement with the community by providing a flexible and friendly platform for discussions and consultations.

116

6. Focus Groups Focus groups will be designed depending on the targeted stakeholder. For example, in case several developers want to discuss any suggestions or new proposal, they can be given a mini guided tour by a local volunteer to get to know the area better. Also, focus groups can target specific groups from the community like the elderly, to establish strong relationships with them and acknowledge their needs.

7. Stakeholders Workshops These workshops will be in the form of facilitated workshops that would allow different groups to contribute to the decision-making process.

6.4.3.2 Consultation Timescale

Table 20. Consultation Timetable

117

6.4.3.3 Consultation Processes Timescale

Figure 107. Consultation Timescale

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6.4 FUNDING STRATEGY 6.4.1 Overview

Table 21. Funding Strategy

119

6.4.2 Projected Funding Generation Potential funding streams are primarily widely available from the government.

Government funding is easily found within one body which also reduces complications.

However, these development interventions are limited within the rules, regulations, and requirements of the government.

GOVERNMENT FACILITATED FUNDING Financial -Developer Contributions CIL & S106 ▪ ▪

The Community Infrastructure Levy is tax allowing local authorities to raise funds from owners or developers of land undertaking new building projects in their area.

Planning obligations are legally enforceable responsibilities entered into under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to mitigate the impact of a development proposal.

Home Building Funds94 ▪

The £4.5 billion Home Building Fund grant is a government fund to increase the number of new homes being built in England. Applications are being accepted from private sector businesses to build new homes or prepare sites for development.

Cycle Ambition Cities95 ▪

This grant is on track to make cycling the natural choice of transport. There is an available bid for a share of £6.5 million government funding that will get more people cycling safely.

The Growing Places Fund96 ▪

The £730 million Growing Places Fund is a grant aimed towards supporting key infrastructure projects designed to unlock broader economic growth, create jobs and build houses in England. The fund is an essential boost for local economies and provides a significant opportunity for local enterprise partnerships and local authorities to identify and prioritise the infrastructure they need for growth.

94

UK Government, 2016. Home Building Fund. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-building-fund 95 UK Government, 2015. Cycling and walking [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cycling-and-walking 96 UK Government, 2014. The Growing Places Fund. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-growing-places-fund

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Business Enterprise fund 97 ▪

The business enterprise fund is a grant of financial support for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Yorkshire and the North East. £500 to £150,000

The Regional Growth Fund98 ▪

The Regional growth fund is a grant that supports eligible projects and programmes by raising private sector investment to create economic growth and lasting employment.

The fund invests £2.6 billion to help businesses in England to grow, and it is expected to create or safeguard around 289,000 jobs.

Grant-Heritage Enterprise99 ▪

The heritage enterprise fund is a grant that helps to restore neglected historic buildings and sites and unlock their economic potential.

NHS Property Services ▪

Funding from the NHS for outdoor facility/area100 refurbishment in conjunction and construction fall in two main categories101: Financial- Landlord capital These are typically small-scale projects to keep NHS buildings lawfully and lease compliant and in a good state of repair in line with their obligations as landlords.

Financial/ Grant - Customer capital These are typically major multi-million-pound projects, such as new buildings, extensions, and major refurbishments, requested by NHS customers. Up-front funding is generally provided by NHS Property Services, but in some cases, they work with third-party development partners.

National Lottery Fund ▪

A grant for good causes, including projects in the health and the environmental sectors.

102 Local Councils can also apply for this fund through Arts council England receiving over £15,000 with a decision given in 12 weeks.

Table 22. Government Facilitated Funding

97

UK Government, 2017. Business Enterprise fund - North East England. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/business-finance-support/business-enterprise-fund-north-east-england 98 UK Government, 2012. Regional Growth Fund. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/understanding-the-regional-growth-fund 99 UK Government, 2017. Heritage Enterprise (HE) – UK [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/businessfinance-support/heritage-enterprise-he-uk 100 NHS Property Services, n.d. Grounds and Gardening. [online] Available at: https://www.property.nhs.uk/services/grounds-and-gardening/ 101 NHS Property Services, n.d. Construction. [online] Available at: https://www.property.nhs.uk/services/groundsand-gardening/ 102 Community Fund (2020). [online] Available at: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/

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Private funding can act as a subsidiary stream for community activities, it is generally less restrictive; however, because it is circumstantial, it can be riskier than government funding options.

Table 23. Private Funding

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6.4.3 Long-Term Funding Securement The strategy sets the ambition to lobby for a Teams Trust pot which can eventually potentially be developed into a non-profit/charity organisation which will commit to working with others to create a sustainable future for Teams.

The establishment of the trust will entail: ▪ ▪ ▪

▪

Early fundraising to establish trust – Gallery Donations, Dunston Staithes’ Market Stalls, and the Community Centre.

Board of Trustees Selection (Quasi Partnerships) among members of the community.

Application for non-profit funding for charities - Ford Britain Trust, who have an establishment within Teams, offer grants of up to £250 and large grants of £251 to £3000 pounds. Available to registered charities Website Launch and digital payments, and online store

6.5 SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT 6.5.1 Key Sustainability Issues Facing Gateshead Council The key sustainability issues facing Gateshead Council can be placed into four specific categories103 which have been expanded on in Appendix 9.2.

▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Economic growth and prosperity Health and well-being Housing and thriving neighbourhoods Sustainable places

103

JBA Consulting, 2017. Gateshead Local Plan: Sustainability Appraisal Environmental Report. Draft Report for Consultation. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/15910/EV-OD01C-SustainabilityAppraisal-Scoping-Report2017/pdf/Gateshead_SA_Report_DRAFT_for_Consultation.pdf?m=637063093733770000

123

6.5.2 Gateshead: Sustainability Targets Gateshead Strategic Partnership’s vision is set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy, Vision 2030104:

“Local people realising their full potential enjoying the best quality of life in a healthy, equal, safe, prosperous and sustainable Gateshead”.

The Partnership has already identified some key targets in responding to climate change in Vision 2030. These are: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪

Recycling at least 50% of waste by 2020 Reducing carbon pollution by 40% by 2025 Reducing residents’ energy consumption by 20% by 2030 Achieving 30% locally generated renewable or low carbon energy by 2030

6.5.3 Achieving Sustainability Sustainable development is most often characterised as development that meets present needs without compromising on the capability of future generations to meet their own needs. It seeks to achieve sustainable economic growth, improved quality of life and community well-being while protecting against biodiversity loss, depletion of resources and environmental deprivation.

To achieve the goal of delivering sustainable growth within Teams, Table 23 outlines the aims for achieving sustainability and the principle actions that will be taken, as well as how they will be measured105.

104

Gateshead Strategic Partnership, 2010. Climate Change: Strategy Document 2010. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/2507/Climate-change-strategydocument/pdf/ClimateChangeBooklet2010.pdf?m=636391887477970000 105 JBA Consulting, 2017. Gateshead Local Plan: Sustainability Appraisal Environmental Report. Draft Report for Consultation. [online] Available at: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/15910/EV-OD01C-SustainabilityAppraisal-Scoping-Report2017/pdf/Gateshead_SA_Report_DRAFT_for_Consultation.pdf?m=637063093733770000

124

125

Table 24. Sustainable Vision and Aims

126

6.5.4 Promoting Sustainable Interventions Through targeted interventions, this strategy seeks to tackle a number of sustainability issues put forward by Gateshead Council.106

Table 25. Sustainable Interventions

6.6 TIMESCALE AND PHASING SCHEDULE

106

Ibid

127

Implementation will be carried out in three phases: Short-Term (2020-2024) Medium-Term (2025-2030) Long-Term (2030+) PHASE 1 Involves light implementations, such as starting the cycling track improvements and expansions and gradually introducing the artwork installations to enhance physical connectivity. While these are being finalised, the art gallery will begin construction. The gallery is expected to open in 2023. The pharmacy’s pocket park will be developed in the same time period as the gallery to ensure the area is synonymous.

The retail block upscaling will follow the opening of the gallery. After the heavy construction works are complete in the area, expansion of the community centre across the road can then occur to prevent noise disturbance. The gallery and community centre can then begin to receive funds for the establishment of Teams Trust.

PHASE 2 Following completion of development in the South area of Teams, the council has set a deadline of 2025 for housing in the former Clasper Town Village and Wolseley Close Play Area. The housing project is therefore expected to be near completion by this time.

PHASE 3 [LONG TERM POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS] The development on the Gasworks may require longer remission as land assessments occur. Within this time, the growth of the Teams Trust Fund is expected to maintain some revenue to oversee the community’s well-being by providing appropriate funding for the relevant services, workshops, and events. The river remediation is also expected to be complete by 2027, thus the cycle tracks in these two areas will be most suitable for development in this time-period.

128

Table 26. Phasing Schedule

129

130

7.1 OVERVIEW The table below explains how the strategic priorities will respond to some of the main objectives identified in Section 4.

Table 27. Strategic Priorities and Main Objectives Relationship

131

7.2 KEY DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR SITES

Table 28. Key Design Objectives

132

7.3 POTENTIAL CHALLENGES

Table 29. Potential Challenges and Solutions

133

7.4 DESIGN AND MASTER PLAN

Figure 108. Master Plan

134

135

136

137

Table 30. Monitoring Strategy

138

139

9.1 SWOT DIAGRAM

140

9.2 GATESHEAD COUNCIL SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

141