Town Centre Vision South Shields
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South Shields town centre vision three Contents Forward by Cllr Iain Malcolm, 5 CHAPTER 4 Leader of South Tyneside Council Town Centre Regeneration Masterplan 24 Market Square/Wouldhave House 28 Executive Summary 6 King Street 31 CHAPTER 1 Transport Interchange 33 The Character Areas 10 Barrington Street/St. Hilda’s Square 34 The Economic Role of the Riverside 10 Waterloo Square/Asda site 37 The Economic Role of the Foreshore 12 Fowler Street 38 The Economic Role of the Town Centre 14 Winchester Street 40 Ocean Road 41 CHAPTER 2 Mile End Road Car Park 42 The Challenges We Face 16 Current Retail Trends 16 CHAPTER 5 Delivering the Vision 43 The National Economy 17 The Residential Offer 18 Working with the Private Sector 44 Town Centre Permeability and Legibility 19 Aligning Complementary Activities 45 Governance 45 CHAPTER 3 Partnership Working 46 Building on Our Strengths 20 Town Centre Housing 47 The Built Environment 20 Town Centre Management 47 Accessibility 20 Transport Management 48 The Market 22 Communicating the Vision to 50 Partners and Stakeholders Entertainment 22 Sport and Culture 22 Unique Assets 23 four five Foreword by Cllr Iain Malcolm, Leader of South Tyneside Council South Tyneside continues to be a fabulous place to Our ambition is to create a vibrant town centre which live, invest and bring up families. Lying in the heart of will be a place of all year round cultural, leisure and the North East of England and at the entrance to the retail activity for residents, businesses and visitors. River Tyne, the borough’s administrative centre, South Shields, remains a destination of choice for visitors Taking this bold vision forward is a major step in wishing to experience our outstanding coastline and securing a sustainable future for South Shields. It sets seaside offer as well as providing a centre for shopping out major interventions which will transform the town and businesses. and provide lasting improvements to the way the town functions - from the shopping and leisure offer to the Like many former industrial towns and cities we are way people travel to, from and around the town centre, faced with an ever-changing future. We live in a world making it easy for all visitors to enjoy the Foreshore where the certainties previous generations took for and Riverside as well. South Shields already has a granted, such as economic stability and job security, no great deal to be proud of but we want to realise our longer exist. We therefore need to have a strong vision potential to be the North East of England’s premier for the future of South Shields and South Tyneside coastal resort 365 days a year. so that we are well placed to face the economic challenges ahead. I hope that you will share this vision as we move forward in the coming months and years and breathe This document sets out a sustainable economic new life into the heart of South Shields. vision for South Shields which will help create new opportunities for residents, businesses and visitors. Key to our long term success is the need to reduce the amount of expenditure leaving South Shields and the borough to other centres. Instead we need to create an expanded retail and leisure offer which ensures that a greater amount of spend is retained in the borough. At the heart of every successful town centre is a beating local economy that provides an exciting experience for everyone. While any town centre, large or small, is underpinned by retailing, the range of other attractions and experiences is what adds value and creates a unique offer and which will encourage repeat trips. six Executive Summary South Shields is a vibrant seaside town which is a destination of choice for residential, commercial and leisure activities. South Shields is a place which is ‘open for business’. It’s a place of great opportunity which has a rich The economic core of the headland comprises a ribbon and diverse heritage on which to build a strong and of three distinct geographic ‘character areas’ namely sustainable future. Like all towns and cities, South the Riverside, the Town Centre and the Foreshore with Shields is a place of ‘exchange’ of goods, services each serving a distinct economic function for South and experiences. In the case of South Shields the Shields. These three areas run on a west to east ‘experience’ includes the fun of the seaside at the alignment from the River Tyne though the headland to Foreshore and the burgeoning cultural quarter around the coast and beach area. the Riverside at Mill Dam together with the host of activities and events within the headland promoted by the Council and its partners. Character Area Economic Role Linkages Riverside • Office and employment Improving links between Harton Quays and Market • Culture and entertainment Square/Town Centre will be critical in achieving greater • Food and drink outcomes for the town. • Recreation/leisure Ensure that new development along the Riverside at Holborn • Transport gateway is well connected to the Town Centre and plays a positive role • Housing in supporting the Town Centre economy. Town Centre • Retailing/shopping Creating strong links to the Riverside but also improving • A vibrant Market for the Town permeability and legibility within the Town Centre will knit Centre and beyond together the traditional heart with new opportunities and • Food and drink developments within the Town Centre. • Entertainment leisure Improvements to Ocean Road will provide an attractive route • Community/library/museum between the Town Centre and Foreshore. • Public transport hub Enhance pedestrian and cycle routes around the peninsular • Commercial and between Riverside and Foreshore including Arbeia Roman Fort. professional services Foreshore • Family leisure/entertainment Linking the Foreshore leisure offer with the Town Centre • Sport and recreation retail and food and drink offer is essential in creating broader • Events including Great North Run South Shields experience for residents and visitors and for • Watersports increasing expenditure. • Food and drink seven Foreshore Town Centre Riverside Aerial of South Shields peninsula Collectively these three areas provide a broad and exciting offer of commercial, leisure, cultural and retail opportunities for residents, visitors and businesses. This mix gives South Shields a unique offer unrivalled amongst other coastal towns of a similar size in the North East. However, the town must continue to grow its offer, attract investment and build upon its environmental and townscape assets. eight Crucial to the future success is the need to knit these A clear vision for the future will give confidence and areas together and to ensure a seamless transition confirm that South Shields is ‘open for business’ to from one to another while still retaining their individual residents, visitors and the private sector as a place to character and function. The Riverside, Town Centre invest and generate wealth and opportunity. and Foreshore must be viewed together if their long term sustainability is to be guaranteed. Understanding Growing the Town Centre through investment with the the character and function of these three areas and private sector will improve and expand our retail and their economic relationships and interplay will be central leisure offer providing a first class visitor experience that to developing clear strategies for the future and give will help ensure the town is a destination of choice for confidence and certainty. shopping, entertainment and eating out 365 days a year. nine In the next 3 to 5 years we will: In the next 10 years we will have: Our vision is to grow the South Shields • Create new opportunities for the development of • A connected Town Centre and a sustainable local ‘offer’ and build on our new national and independent retail and leisure uses economy within the Town Centre successful Foreshore • Created a place of unrivalled quality in terms of its and Riverside by • Achieve comprehensive redevelopment of Fowler buildings, public realm and open spaces achieving the following Street West creating a new retail quarter to the town outcomes within the • Expanded the Town Centre shopping offer and next ten years. • Improve the physical links within the town between attracted key national and appropriate niche and the character areas of the Riverside, Town Centre independent retailers and Foreshore • Developed a cultural programme of activities and • Improve the environment of the Town Centre by events throughout the year which reinforce the enhancing the public realm identity of South Shields and attract increased visitor numbers • Improve vehicle access by improving the bus station and better traffic management • Expanded the visitor season and attracted more visitors from further afield who stay for longer • Create attractive entrances to the town at key gateway locations including the Metro Station • Developed an evening economy which is underpinned by being family friendly and of a high quality which • Develop a new Town Centre library meets the needs of all our residents and visitors • Attract a quality hotel with conferencing facilities and • Attracted new residents to live in the town through associated food and drink to the Town Centre new housing opportunities • Develop plans for a remodelled Market Square providing a hub for activities and linking the Town Centre with the Riverside In 20 years time we will be: • Create opportunities for new housing • An attractive and vibrant town, recognised nationally • Increase the visitor offer at the Foreshore by as a place where people will choose to live, do enhancing and expanding the facilities business, visit and spend their holiday time • Improve the overnight accommodation offer for both • A place where the quality of life and place will attract leisure and business visitors investment and which has a range of services and • Market our offer/assets and quality of place to the activities which are second to none wider world • Continue our commitment to delivery ten CHAPTER 1 The Character Areas Places that have an identity because of their setting, their buildings and the role in our daily lives.