Evolving Cities The changing face of Newcastle gva.co.uk Evolving cities The UK’s cities are The Changing Face of Newcastle is one of our series of reports looking undergoing a renaissance. at how the UK’s key cities are evolving Large scale place making and the transformational change that schemes are dramatically is occurring, either in terms of the improving how they are scale of regeneration activity or a shift in perception. perceived, making them more desirable places to For each city, we identify the key locations where such change has live and work, and better occurred over the last 10 years, able to attract new people and the major developments that and businesses. continue to deliver it. We then explore the key large scale regeneration opportunities going forward. Newcastle today Newcastle is the social Over the past twenty years it part of the city and been prominent The introduction of the Millennium The ‘Alive After Five’ initiative The first section of this report has seen significant regeneration in building a reputation for Newcastle pedestrian bridge and continued created by part of the Business looks at the schemes from the and economic driver at the success, following a city-wide as a cultural destination. Using regeneration south of the river Improvement District (NE1) has last ten years that have been heart of the North-East. It strategy linking economic culture as a catalyst for change including Baltic Place, Baltic encouraged retailers to open later instrumental in Newcastle achieving is the regional capital and development, urban renaissance has been an important and Contemporary Arts Centre and created a night time economy its revitalisation. The scale of the home to many national and the retention and growth visionary part of Newcastle’s story. and the Sage Music Centre estimated to be worth £708 schemes we look at varies, for of population within the Culture-led regeneration has not together with a number of new million. Headline retail yields in some the size of the project alone and international leading city. Newcastle was home only improved the image of the residential blocks has further Newcastle were 5.0% in December would warrant inclusion, others businesses and public to 290,000 people in 2015. city and the quality of its places, cemented the importance of 2016 showing compression are smaller but have had a very it is a significant contributor to the quaysides to the city. from 6% in December 2014. significant impact. They have all sector departments. The regeneration of Grainger the economy through tourism and made an important difference Town in many ways initiated Newcastle has an important role There is still significant room for employment. The ambition is for this to the city and its population. the recovery from a physical as a major regional shopping centre improvement in Newcastle city to continue and key future sites such perspective, exemplifying heritage- and the retail sector has been a key centre’s retail offer and failure to as East Pilgrim Street will integrate led regeneration utilising public driver of economic growth for the deliver new floorspace and modern and build on existing cultural assets and private sector investment. city. The first major retail scheme units has meant that it has lost to create new ‘cultural hubs’. Its comprehensive approach for many years was the extension market share to other regional attracted office, retail, housing Tourism figures for the city show and improvement of the Southern centres. The retail offering of and leisure uses and acted as a consistently strong growth with the part of Eldon Square, opening in the Gateshead Centre has been stimulus for further investment most recent figures placing it second 2010. It expanded the retail offering, revitalised by the redevelopment and redevelopment in the city. in the country for year on year visitor increasing the number of units of Trinity Square providing 40 units growth. Newcastle’s 7% growth figure and attracting new retailers. suiting a mix of retail requirements The comprehensive renewal of the is significantly ahead of the national and a large Tesco supermarket and quaysides has revitalised a historic average of 4% and London at 2%. 999 student bedrooms in five towers. Detail below A186 Westgate Road 5 A695 2007 – 2017 River Tyne 1 Trinity Gardens B1307 A167(M) St James 4 Park Wellbar Central & Time Central 3 A193 4 5 6 2 2 4 Stephenson Quarter 10 1 9 A186 Westgate Road 3 7 5 8 Central Station 1 5 Central Station Tyne Bridge 3 Downing Plaza 2 River Tyne A695 Trinity Gardens Trinity Gardens and East Major East Quayside developments residential buildings and the recently include the redevelopment of the developed Malmaison hotel, Pitcher Quayside have seen former Banatyne Casino building and Piano bar, and Las Iguanas gradual regeneration since into a 35,000 sq ft Grade A BREEAM and Gusto restaurants. The vibrant the early 2000s, following office building. The project was mix of uses complements the on from the first modern developed by Argon Properties and business district and has made it attracted the corporate banking a desirable area to live and work. day office developments division of Barclays, who transferred Trinity Gardens and Stockbridge fronting the River Tyne all 160 employees form their Grey House were sold by Aviva Investors Street offices into the new state of on the Quayside in the in August 2008 to the Crown Estate the art office complex in March 2014. 1990s. The area now for £40 million (8.4% NIY). In 2010 the offers an attractive Trinity Gardens was a landmark property was sold again to Standard scheme for Newcastle, delivering Life Investors for £50 million (6.7% landscaped working 120,000 sq ft building developed by NIY). The property benefits from environment, better car Silverlink in 2005. The project was a strong tenant line up and rents parking provision than funded and built for Aviva Investors. of between £19.50 and £23 psf. Stockbridge House was built in The introduction of the Millennium the traditional CBD and conjunction with Trinity Gardens and pedestrian bridge and continued a very strong leisure provides a five-storey 500 space car regeneration to the south of the park with dual access and two storeys offering including hotels, river; including Baltic Place, Baltic of offices totalling 35,000 sq ft above. restaurants and bars. Contemporary Arts Centre and the One Trinity is let to seven national Sage Music Centre, together with tenants including The Partners of a number of new residential blocks Bond Dickinson (Solicitors), Deloitte, has further cemented the importance BNP Paribas Real Estate, Aecon of the Quayside to the region. Ltd, St James Wealth Management Looking forward, the development Group Plc, Royal Bank of Scotland pipeline includes a 120-bed Plc and Tesco Stores Plc. Travelodge and a 42,000 sq ft office The regeneration has helped cement building that are currently underway the Quayside as one of the best and likely further student residential specified and located office districts and PRS schemes by Adderstone. in Newcastle. It has stimulated further investment, including new Stephenson Quarter The Stephenson Quarter The project is being delivered by The Rocket is now fully let to is a prime 10 acre site The Clouston Group, Newcastle Convergys, after less than 6 months Council, Aviva Investors, Royal Bank on the market. Convergys already has bounded by the Central of Scotland, Miller Construction, a significant presence in Newcastle Station and the River Tyne and the North East Local Enterprise and took the entirety of the building and is currently being Partnership. It is anticipated with a headline rent of £21.50 psf, that it will, create 2,000 jobs bringing 600 further jobs to the city. regenerated to deliver a and add £10 million per annum Looking ahead, Phase II of this major mixed-use scheme. to the regional economy. extensive regeneration scheme Phase 1 of the project was completed will see the development of two in 2016 and consists of two buildings. further Grade A office buildings These are; The Rocket, a mixed-use with over 260,000 sq ft of building providing 35,000 sq ft of commercial space. There will also Grade A offices above a 357-space be a small number of residential 5 level multi-storey car park and units along with restaurants, the Crown Plaza Hotel, a new events and retail space. 251-bed 4*+ hotel fronting Forth Street which boasts the largest conferencing and banqueting space in central Newcastle. Downing Plaza Downing Plaza was In total the £250 million development with annual 2.25% rental uplifts. provides the 100,000 sq ft Universal In 2016 the University extended completed in 2016 on Business School, over 1,800 student its lease commitment to 30 part of the former site of bedrooms, a 183-room hotel and years certain in a back to back the Newcastle Brewery, extensive retail space. There transaction involving the sale of transforming it into six has also been extensive public the building in Merchant Place to landscaping including the creation AVIVA Investors for £64.7 million. new iconic buildings. It of a pedestrianised link to Science Newcastle’s university is one of the was the largest planning Central. The scheme was designed city’s great assets and students by award winning architects Ian application to be granted make a significant contribution Simpson and Partners and has to the economy and culture of the in the city for a generation revitalised a key city centre site. and has dramatically city. The provision of a high quality The Newcastle University Business student experience is critical to enhanced Newcastle’s School pre-let of 100,000 sq ft of attracting prospective students student offering, as well space at Downing Plaza involved and Downing Plaza contributes as forming an impressive a record breaking deal and provided greatly to this requirement.