South Shields town centre vision · Square/Town Centre will be critical in achieving greater...
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town centre vision South Shields
Transcript of South Shields town centre vision · Square/Town Centre will be critical in achieving greater...
town centre vision
South Shields
Contents
Forward by Cllr Iain Malcolm, 5 Leader of South Tyneside Council
Executive Summary 6
CHAPTER 1 The Character Areas 10
The Economic Role of the Riverside 10
The Economic Role of the Foreshore 12
The Economic Role of the Town Centre 14
CHAPTER 2 The Challenges We Face 16
Current Retail Trends 16
The National Economy 17
The Residential Offer 18
Town Centre Permeability and Legibility 19
CHAPTER 3 Building on Our Strengths 20
The Built Environment 20
Accessibility 20
The Market 22
Entertainment 22
Sport and Culture 22
Unique Assets 23
CHAPTER 4 Town Centre Regeneration Masterplan 24
Market Square/Wouldhave House 28
King Street 31
Transport Interchange 33
Barrington Street/St. Hilda’s Square 34
Waterloo Square/Asda site 37
Fowler Street 38
Winchester Street 40
Ocean Road 41
Mile End Road Car Park 42
CHAPTER 5 Delivering the Vision 43
Working with the Private Sector 44
Aligning Complementary Activities 45
Governance 45
Partnership Working 46
Town Centre Housing 47
Town Centre Management 47
Transport Management 48
Communicating the Vision to 50 Partners and Stakeholders
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South Tyneside continues to be a fabulous place to live, invest and bring up families. Lying in the heart of the North East of England and at the entrance to the River Tyne, the borough’s administrative centre, South Shields, remains a destination of choice for visitors wishing to experience our outstanding coastline and seaside offer as well as providing a centre for shopping and businesses.
Like many former industrial towns and cities we are faced with an ever-changing future. We live in a world where the certainties previous generations took for granted, such as economic stability and job security, no longer exist. We therefore need to have a strong vision for the future of South Shields and South Tyneside so that we are well placed to face the economic challenges ahead.
This document sets out a sustainable economic 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.
Our ambition is to create a vibrant town centre which will be a place of all year round cultural, leisure and retail activity for residents, businesses and visitors.
Taking this bold vision forward is a major step in securing a sustainable future for South Shields. It sets out major interventions which will transform the town and provide lasting improvements to the way the town functions - from the shopping and leisure offer to the way people travel to, from and around the town centre, making it easy for all visitors to enjoy the Foreshore and Riverside as well. South Shields already has a great deal to be proud of but we want to realise our potential to be the North East of England’s premier coastal resort 365 days a year.
I hope that you will share this vision as we move forward in the coming months and years and breathe new life into the heart of South Shields.
Foreword by Cllr Iain Malcolm, Leader of South Tyneside Council
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Character Area Economic Role Linkages
Riverside • Office and employment • Culture and entertainment • Food and drink • Recreation/leisure • Transport gateway • Housing
Improving links between Harton Quays and Market Square/Town Centre will be critical in achieving greater outcomes for the town.Ensure that new development along the Riverside at Holborn is well connected to the Town Centre and plays a positive role in supporting the Town Centre economy.
Town Centre • Retailing/shopping • A vibrant Market for the Town
Centre and beyond• Food and drink • Entertainment leisure • Community/library/museum • Public transport hub • Commercial and
professional services
Creating strong links to the Riverside but also improving permeability and legibility within the Town Centre will knit together the traditional heart with new opportunities and developments within the Town Centre.Improvements to Ocean Road will provide an attractive route between the Town Centre and Foreshore. Enhance pedestrian and cycle routes around the peninsular between Riverside and Foreshore including Arbeia Roman Fort.
Foreshore • Family leisure/entertainment • Sport and recreation • Events including Great North Run • Watersports • Food and drink
Linking the Foreshore leisure offer with the Town Centre retail and food and drink offer is essential in creating broader South Shields experience for residents and visitors and for increasing expenditure.
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 and diverse heritage on which to build a strong and sustainable future. Like all towns and cities, South Shields is a place of ‘exchange’ of goods, services and experiences. In the case of South Shields the ‘experience’ includes the fun of the seaside at the Foreshore and the burgeoning cultural quarter around the Riverside at Mill Dam together with the host of activities and events within the headland promoted by the Council and its partners.
The economic core of the headland comprises a ribbon of three distinct geographic ‘character areas’ namely the Riverside, the Town Centre and the Foreshore with each serving a distinct economic function for South Shields. These three areas run on a west to east alignment from the River Tyne though the headland to the coast and beach area.
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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.
Aerial of South Shields peninsula
Riverside
Town Centre
Foreshore
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Crucial to the future success is the need to knit these areas together and to ensure a seamless transition from one to another while still retaining their individual character and function. The Riverside, Town Centre and Foreshore must be viewed together if their long term sustainability is to be guaranteed. Understanding the character and function of these three areas and their economic relationships and interplay will be central to developing clear strategies for the future and give confidence and certainty.
A clear vision for the future will give confidence and confirm that South Shields is ‘open for business’ to residents, visitors and the private sector as a place to invest and generate wealth and opportunity.
Growing the Town Centre through investment with the private sector will improve and expand our retail and leisure offer providing a first class visitor experience that will help ensure the town is a destination of choice for shopping, entertainment and eating out 365 days a year.
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In the next 3 to 5 years we will:
• Create new opportunities for the development of new national and independent retail and leisure uses within the Town Centre
• Achieve comprehensive redevelopment of Fowler Street West creating a new retail quarter to the town
• Improve the physical links within the town between the character areas of the Riverside, Town Centre and Foreshore
• Improve the environment of the Town Centre by enhancing the public realm
• Improve vehicle access by improving the bus station and better traffic management
• Create attractive entrances to the town at key gateway locations including the Metro Station
• Develop a new Town Centre library
• Attract a quality hotel with conferencing facilities and associated food and drink to the Town Centre
• Develop plans for a remodelled Market Square providing a hub for activities and linking the Town Centre with the Riverside
• Create opportunities for new housing
• Increase the visitor offer at the Foreshore by enhancing and expanding the facilities
• Improve the overnight accommodation offer for both leisure and business visitors
• Market our offer/assets and quality of place to the wider world
• Continue our commitment to delivery
In the next 10 years we will have:
• A connected Town Centre and a sustainable local economy
• Created a place of unrivalled quality in terms of its buildings, public realm and open spaces
• Expanded the Town Centre shopping offer and attracted key national and appropriate niche and independent retailers
• Developed a cultural programme of activities and events throughout the year which reinforce the identity of South Shields and attract increased visitor numbers
• Expanded the visitor season and attracted more visitors from further afield who stay for longer
• Developed an evening economy which is underpinned by being family friendly and of a high quality which meets the needs of all our residents and visitors
• Attracted new residents to live in the town through new housing opportunities
In 20 years time we will be:
• An attractive and vibrant town, recognised nationally as a place where people will choose to live, do business, visit and spend their holiday time
• A place where the quality of life and place will attract investment and which has a range of services and activities which are second to none
Our vision is to grow the South Shields
‘offer’ and build on our successful Foreshore
and Riverside by achieving the following
outcomes within the next ten years.
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The headland comprises three character areas namely the Riverside, the Town Centre and the Foreshore. Each of these areas fulfils a different but complementary economic role. Understanding how these roles interact and their synergies will enable us to achieve a ‘spirited whole’ with all these areas functioning together and providing a single Town Centre offer. In broad terms the three character areas provide the following economic roles and opportunities:
Economic Role of the Riverside
Current Role Objectives
• Office and employment
• Culture and entertainment
• Food and drink
• Recreation/leisure
• Transport gateway
• Housing
• Improve links with the Town Centre and create a visitor destination
• Grow evening economy
• Attract new commercial and residential development to Harton Quays and Holborn
• Attract a quality hotel
• Improve and encourage access to the waterfront
• Attract additional visitor numbers through expanded demographics with consequential increase and spend
• Create berthing opportunities for visiting small craft
• Ensure new housing at Holborn is of a high quality, attractive to families and meets the needs of existing and future residents
• Capture additional spend into the Town Centre from office developments
• Promote cross river activities
CHAPTER 1
The Character Areas
Places that have an identity because of their setting, their buildings and the role in our daily lives.
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The Riverside provides the opportunity for a diverse range of leisure and commercial activities. Exploiting the assets of the Riverside topography and town-scape the area has seen significant change over 20 years. The area has seen most activity around Harton Quays which is underpinned by the Customs House and Mill Dam providing the town’s cultural offer by way of a venue and gallery set within a historic conservation area. This offer is augmented by the new BT office building at Harton Quays which provides footfall and activity, a proposed office/hotel opportunity site and associated food and drink uses. Furthermore, a high quality park extending from Harton Quays to Holborn (Phase 1 due for completion in 2013) will provide an attractive waterfront public space, clearly visible from the north banks of the Tyne and providing an exemplar point of arrival into the town and borough beyond.
Aside from being a place of new opportunity and creating an exciting new cultural quarter to the town, the Riverside around Harton Quays is a gateway into the town by virtue of the River Tyne Ferry Terminal. At this point the Riverside and Town Centre have the potential to seamlessly merge together. However, the highway network around River Drive/Ferry Street
currently acts as a barrier between these two key areas. Careful design solutions which consider the needs of pedestrians and vehicles will therefore need to be examined if this impediment is to be overcome.
Looking beyond to the remainder of the Riverside, the proposed developments at Holborn will provide mixed commercial and residential opportunities in the medium term as well as extending the parkland waterfront. Other improvements will see new housing opportunities and environmental improvements further enhance the area and raise the profile of the Riverside as a place to live and work.
In the longer term there is the opportunity to redefine the industrial and employment base of the river by attracting high quality engineering and manufacturing uses which are focused on ‘green’ technologies and which require waterfront locations. Creating and sustaining high quality employment opportunities will be a key ingredient not only in securing a viable future for South Shields but also in underpinning the fortunes of the borough. However, much will depend on future funding regimes and global markets as to how this develops out over time.
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South Shields Foreshore is a fantastic natural asset which contributes significantly to the overall resident and visitor offer. With broad soft sand beaches and an extensive green hinterland of formal parks and recreation grounds the area has huge potential and presents a significant opportunity to the Council to expand the current offer which attracts 1.7million visitors per year.
Investment of £2million in the public realm through the Sea Change funding has seen a dramatic change in the appearance and perceptions of the Foreshore which has in turn given the confidence to the private sector to invest in their activities and to grow the visitor offer.
In terms of function, the key activities at the Foreshore are predicated on the natural assets of the beach, sea and parks which provide the opportunity for a variety of pursuits and events.
The scope of the offer changes as the visitor travels southwards. The traditional entertainment hub for the Foreshore is focused around Ocean Beach Pleasure Park at the junction with Sea Road which provides indoor and outdoor traditional family seaside entertainment. This offer will shortly be augmented by the new £16million swimming and leisure complex which will greatly enhance the all weather family visitor offer. Collectively, the new pool, indoor and outdoor leisure and the high quality parks provide an unrivalled seaside offer on the north east coast.
Travelling southwards along the Foreshore the offer becomes less formal and more focused on outdoor activities such as walking and cycling with the coastal path extending southward beyond Souter Lighthouse. The development potential of Gypsies Green will provide the opportunity to expand the visitor offer by building upon existing sporting uses and providing a ‘hub’ for outdoor sport and recreation activities such as kite-surfing, mountain biking and surfing to name a few.
The Economic Role of the Foreshore
Current Role Objectives
• Family leisure/entertainment
• Sport and recreation
• Events including Great North Run
• Watersports
• Food and drink
• Hotels/chalet/accommodation
• Extend the visitor season by 4 months to include February - March and September - October
• Increase visitor numbers by 20%• Increase visitor spend by 50%• Improve overnight accommodation offer• Improve links to the Town Centre/Ocean Road• Improve all weather attractions/activities• Expand the visitor offer with new activities• Expand the demographic of visitors to include higher spenders
and overnight visitors • Maximise development potential at the South Foreshore and provide
a high quality end to the developed coastline
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In taking the Foreshore forward it is essential that new activities help extend the holiday season beyond the summer months and provide economic activity from early spring, through the summer and well into the autumn. In the longer term an all year round Foreshore offer is our goal. The provision of all weather facilities and activities will be a critical ingredient in achieving this. There is also a need to create a more sustainable balance of all year activities and provide better connections between the shore and the sea by, for example, a pontoon or floating pier structure which may help facilitate water sport activities such as jet skiing as well as providing a unique feature of interest.
By providing a broader offer at the Foreshore there is also the opportunity to attract a wider demographic. However, a key objective of the Council should be to harness this opportunity to improve the visitor spend from £12 per visit to at least £20. Moreover, linking the activities at the Foreshore with Ocean Road and the Town Centre will be essential in securing a longer visitor stay and greater spend. Ultimately, expanding the South Shields offer through new hotel(s) and chalet/self-catering accommodation will help increase the visitor numbers and length of stay resulting in greater expenditure in the local economy.
While we wish to grow the range of activities at the Foreshore, it is also very important to sustain the excellent offer we currently provide for our residents and visitors. Increasing the economic offer and remaining competitive are important elements to success but the underlying attraction remains the sea, beaches and parks, all of which are free of charge. These will continue to represent a fantastic day out for families as well as young and older people. In harsh economic times it is important that the Foreshore remains an accessible and affordable attraction which is open to all residents and visitors.
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South Shields has a thriving Town Centre which has seen major improvements over the last five years. The development of Waterloo Square (Henry Boot Developments) brought new national high street brands to the Town Centre expanding the retail fashion offer considerably. The new Asda store has also given the Town Centre a good food-store offer (which has further been augmented with the arrival of Morrisons in Asda’s former store on Ocean Road).
While undoubtedly benefiting the town, these developments have created a new retail quarter and have shifted the ‘centre of gravity’ of the town resulting in new shopping and associated travel patterns.
The key to any future success will be the integration of these recent, and any future, developments with the traditional retail heart of the town through enhanced pedestrian permeability and high quality public spaces.
Economic Role of the Town Centre
Current Role Objectives
• Retailing/shopping
• A vibrant Market for the Town Centre and beyond
• Food and drink
• Entertainment/leisure
• Community/library/ museum
• Public transport hub
• Commercial and professional services
• Work with the private sector to expand the retail and leisure offer and attract national operators and independent retailers
• Bring forward development opportunity sites
• Improve the functionality of the Town Centre by creating a retail circuit
• Enhance public realm/public spaces
• Provide enhanced public transport provision and bus circulation
• Enhanced car parking provision
• A new central library and cultural hub on the site of Wouldhave House
• Improve linkages and permeability between retail quarters and Ocean Road/Foreshore/Riverside to facilitate easy navigation and a better visitor experience
• Increase footfall drawing from residents, sub-regional visitors to the town centre and Foreshore visitors
• Grow and diversify the evening economy to attract families
• Expand the programme of events and activities
• Enhance cafe/pavement economy
• Revitalise market place and improve the quality of the market offer
• Reduce number of voids/vacancies and address physical dereliction and decline
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The traditional retail heart of the centre remains King Street/Ocean Road. This is a pedestrianised linear shopping parade running from Market Square to Ocean Road and provides a variety of retail units of varying sizes which accommodate a range of operators including high street brands such as Marks & Spencer, HMV, Greenwoods, Mothercare and Clarks Shoes as well as a range of independent shops.
However, while many of the units are attractive and well appointed 19th Century/early 20th Century three storey buildings, the ground floor shop unit size and layout, together with rental levels would appear to be unattractive to many national operators who have strict requirements in terms of unit size and layout and rental levels. There would also appear to be little use of upper floors. Meeting modern retailing requirements by providing new development opportunities through site assembly and by working with the private sector will help achieve our long term aims of a sustainable and thriving centre.
The main secondary shopping area is Fowler Street which serves as a key route into the Town Centre for buses. While the northern end of the street adjacent to the Town Centre has some attractive buildings, much of the rest of the street is of very low environmental quality with terraces of converted and extended retail properties.
A rationalisation and remodelling of part of Fowler Street will improve this gateway into the town and will provide better integration with new development opportunities. To the rear of Fowler Street (east) are areas of surface car parking and some vacant sites/disused buildings together with some retail/trade showroom uses. Again the rationalisation of some of these uses together with selected acquisitions would provide new private sector development opportunities which would link in with the heart of the Town Centre.
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Current Retail Trends
While the Town Centre includes a range of other economic activities including office, food and drink and leisure uses, retailing remains its primary function and it is this which underpins all other Town Centre activities. It is therefore imperative that the Town Centre continues to grow a strong retail offer which complements the cultural offer on the Riverside and the visitor/leisure offer at the Foreshore.
However, the nature of high street retailing in Britain is changing with increased reliance upon on-line shopping. UK Internet spending was a total of £5.1billion in March 2011, a rise on the previous figures of March 2010 and equivalent to £82 per person. This represents a year-on-year increase of 20% according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index and they estimate that will continue to grow in the coming years further undermining the traditional retail role of Town Centres.
In order for a centre such as South Shields to remain economically viable as a retail destination, it needs to retain approximately 10% of its potential spend with an ideal baseline of around 20%. This means for every £100 of disposable income available within South Shields, a minimum of £10 (ideally £20) needs to be spent in the Town Centre.
This is not the case at the present time. On the basis of CACI figures South Shields retains approximately 3.7% of potential spend with approximately 50% leaking to other retail centres such as Newcastle, Sunderland and Gateshead Metro Centre. In order to arrest this decline it is essential that an enhanced retail and leisure offer is provided which will attract visitors and increase spend within the Town Centre. Without investment South Shields is unlikely to continue to provide a competitive and attractive retail offer and experience for residents and visitors and will cease to be a destination of choice for shopping and other Town Centre activities. Significant intervention is therefore required if South Shields is to continue to thrive and grow.
CHAPTER 2
The Challenges We Face
South Shields does have major challenges ahead if it is to remain competitive.
Understanding these challenges will ensure that the Town Centre is well placed to meet these and to remain competitive and viable. In managing change within the Town Centre we need to be mindful that high street retailing is a sector of the economy which is in a state of flux. Moreover, at the time of writing (October 2012) the United Kingdom is in a second or ‘double dip’ recession with no growth in our economy for the past three quarters. Numerous factors will have a bearing on the future viability and vitality of all Town Centres and we need to ensure we are well placed to meet these challenges.
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The National Economy
While the growth in internet spending will continue to compete with Town Centres, perhaps the most major impact is the recession in the national economy. The underlying trend in retail sales is broadly flat and it is expected that this trend will worsen as households respond to the intensifying squeeze on their real pay through increased living costs. Ensuring that our residents are well placed to achieve an education and qualifications which will improve their employment chances is a key strand of our long term sustainability and community cohesion. Similarly, we must ensure the borough is best placed to attract inward investment on a strategic scale to provide greater and better employment opportunities. In essence we need more people, and more people with more money in their pockets, visiting the Town Centre to access a retail and leisure offer that meets their needs.
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The Residential Offer
We have a great housing offer within South Shields and its hinterland but, like our retail offer, there is the opportunity and room to grow and expand our residential offer. While the local South Shields housing market is relatively self contained with little inward migration from outside the area, the town does present an exceptional housing offer in terms of location and access to facilities such as schools. Westoe Crown Village has demonstrated that the coast is a popular place to live and there is an appetite in the market to relocate here.
Increasing and improving the South Shields housing offer by providing a range of housing opportunities, both in terms of type and tenure, will attract more people into the Town Centre. This could also include opportunities around re-modeling some of our existing, Council owned, housing to provide a better residential environment for existing communities as well as broadening the offer to new, incoming residents. In summary, bringing more people with greater spending power to live or near to the Town Centre in our Riverside locations such as Trinity and Holborn will help support shops and services. Also, this commitment from the Council to promote the town as a destination of choice will also garner developer confidence and help attract the investment and brands we wish to see located here.
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Town Centre Permeability and Legibility
South Shields has fantastic potential in terms of its buildings and townscape. However, the Town Centre has developed in an ad hoc way over the years with some planned redevelopment occurring in the post war years around the Market Square. This included the clearance of many Victorian and older buildings which were built when the town was expanding in the golden age of the industrial revolution - when we truly were the workshop of the world. Our changing post war fortunes coupled with the need to remove some of the worst buildings resulted in undeveloped sites - evident at the rear of Fowler Street where the Old Street pattern remains. This incremental and unplanned approach has fragmented the Town Centre and left little sense of cohesion or legibility. Moreover, traffic and pedestrian management through prescriptive crossings and guardrails reinforce this fragmentation and do not meet resident or visitor expectations in terms of a safe and pleasant shopping experience. There is no sense of arrival into the Town Centre and gateways into the town are uninspiring and do not celebrate the arrival in South Shields Town Centre. Within the Town Centre many buildings, while once proud and well appointed statements of the town’s wealth, have been neglected and in some instances are covered in brash and inappropriate signage which detracts from their intrinsic quality and lower the perceptions of the town. A pivotal element of the regeneration of the Town Centre will therefore be to focus on improving our buildings, spaces and places.
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The Built Environment
South Shields has a strong built heritage with many notable buildings and public spaces. Having broadly escaped both the ravages of WW2 bombing and 1960’s comprehensive town planning, the heart of the Town Centre has broadly remained unchanged in terms of its buildings and layout. While this has some drawbacks in terms of its commercial functionality, the proud heritage of the town expressed through its buildings and spaces gives a strong sense of place and identity and reinforces the emotional attachment of its residents and visitors. Central to the townscape is the Market Square which provides the ‘destination’ at the end of King Street. As a civic space, the Market Square is embedded in the lives of our residents and is one of the many things which define South Shields.
Accessibility
Being accessible by a range of transport modes is also a key attribute. At the heart of King Street is the Metro Station which due to its elevated construction creates an interesting and unique feature within the centre adding to the overall townscape quality. While the Metro Station has the potential to provide an attractive point of arrival into the town, the Bus Station located on Keppel Street is dominated by broad highways with very little aesthetic quality or legibility within the public realm. While the Bus Station functions, it does not give the sense of arrival befitting of the Town Centre. A remodelled bus station developed in tandem with the refurbishment and integration with the Metro Station would provide a fully integrated modern public transport hub which aside from giving a positive sense of arrival into the town, it would also provide the opportunity to integrate Keppel Street with the rear of Fowler Street (west) by including the Post Office buildings within the development.
CHAPTER 3
Building on Our Strengths
While we have challenges to face, these are not insurmountable and can be overcome.
Just as it is important to recognise our challenges, it is also important to recognise our strengths and attributes and to realise them as opportunities. In addition to the physical attributes and interest of the Riverside and Foreshore, the Town Centre has numerous strengths. It remains a compact centre which is broadly level and accessible to all with short ‘walk-in’ times from Town Centre car parks. While connectivity between areas needs to be addressed, there are no rivers to cross and no hills to climb and this therefore provides a strong and sound foundation on which to build future success.
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The Market
In addition to retailing, the Town Centre also fulfils other economic roles which add vibrancy and diversity to the overall offer. Significantly the town is a ‘Market Town’ which is a status envied by many other places. The traditions of the market days add a further strand to the town’s DNA and have the potential to provide a platform and focus for future events. However, at the present time the market is suffering both the hardships of the economy and competition from ‘pound stores’. Interventions by the Council, such as reduced rents, have had little meaningful impact. The attractiveness of the Market Square in terms of layout and vehicle management needs to be addressed. The space remains an underused civic asset and given the centre piece of the Grade I Listed Old Town Hall, there is the potential to make this a key element of the Town Centre offer. Rationalising the space and providing permanent high quality stalls together with public realm improvements would give rise to a range of future opportunities for the development of bespoke markets as well as other Town Centre events and activities.
Entertainment
The evening economy in South Shields is also worthy of close examination as this has the potential to contribute significantly to the overall offer for residents and visitors alike. In terms of pubs and clubs (vertical drinking), the main area of activity is centred on the junction of King Street, Ocean Road and Mile End Road which is the central meeting place located midway between the Riverside and the Foreshore.
The entertainment offer provided here is currently geared towards providing a vibrant and exciting experience which complements the offer provided by the ‘real ale trail’ of pubs around the Riverside area. However, the town does not have a family orientated evening economy linked to food and leisure/entertainment. This type of spend currently drifts out of the borough to other centres. Capturing and growing this market will give the town a far more rounded and family/visitor friendly offer which will also be an ingredient in attracting people to consider South Shields as a place to live.
Sport and Culture
Beyond food and drink there are a whole range of leisure activities centred on the arts and culture which could be explored. Aside from the obvious links with Catherine Cookson which has served us well and placed the borough on an international stage, the town has a proud and varied cultural heritage and has been the hometown of many aspiring stars of stage, screen and bookshelf. Sarah Millican, Sir Ridley Scott, Joe McElderry, Little Mix to name but a few! The town also provides the finish to the second largest half marathon in the world, the internationally recognised ‘Great North Run’ and has produced great athletes such as Brendan Foster CBE, Steve Cram MBE, Chris Cooke and Josef Craig. Providing an enhanced cultural offer and building on the success and reputation of venues such as the Customs House will help grow a cultural quarter. Attracting a new digital cinema to the town and creating a cultural hub with a new central library on the site of Wouldhave House will contribute to this offer, but a key strand to any success will be the continuation of an exciting and inclusive programme of events.
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Unique Assets
Another key ingredient of the Town Centre offer is the unique collection of Asian, Italian and Fish and Chip restaurants on Ocean Road. Renowned across the north east as a culinary destination, Ocean Road provides the ‘bridge’ between the retail heart of the Town Centre and the Foreshore area. Work to redesign the highway and public realm started in October 2012 which will see £2.4million of improvements including widened footways, improved and increased parking, pedestrian friendly junctions, together with an avenue of trees. The quality of this scheme will provide the benchmark for future public realm schemes within the town.
The town also has a Roman Fort built around AD160. Arbeia was a key frontier outpost of the Roman Empire being a supply base for the 17 forts along Hadrian’s Wall. A historic asset of international significance, the site is located close to the Town Centre and has some of the best Roman attractions in the UK with a reconstructed Gatehouse, Commanders House and Barrack Block located on the site of the original buildings. This provides another facet to a town with a diverse and rich history.
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While the commercial spine of South Shields comprises the Riverside - Town Centre - Foreshore, the Town Centre is itself made up of several distinct areas. Understanding the interplay between these areas and how they relate to each other is essential. Improving links and pedestrian permeability through both investment in the public realm and new development opportunities will enhance the appearance and function of the town making it a better visitor and shopping experience.
Achieving commercial viability within new developments across a range of sites while achieving enduring townscape solutions for the benefit of future generations is central to the Council’s objectives in securing a sustainable regeneration solution for South Shields.
Between 2011/12 the Council undertook financial viability testing with leading market advisors as well as undertaking a full Design Enabling and Review exercise with Northern Architecture.
This has enabled the Council to develop a regeneration masterplan for the Town Centre which sets out the scale of the opportunity to the private sector but also sets out the Council’s commitment to regeneration through investing in the public realm and other civic assets.
CHAPTER 4
Town Centre Regeneration Masterplan
Creating Places of Interest and Development Opportunity
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Aerial of South Shields peninsula
Town Centre
Metro
Business
Residential
Residential
Ocean Road
Ferry
Foreshore
Business
Riverside
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South Shields Town Centre Masterplan
The masterplan is not intended to be a prescriptive template which stifles the flair and innovation of architects and urban designers. Instead, it should be seen as a starting point and a guide which maps out the sites, how they relate to each other and how they, collectively, can transform South Shields Town Centre into a destination of choice for residents and visitors.
The opportunities and issues for these key areas of intervention which are identified within the masterplan are set out in the following pages and are intended to guide the high quality design of new buildings and spaces.
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Market Square/Wouldhave House
Market Square is a great civic asset which has the potential to be grown and nurtured into something very special and unique for the town. Aside from being a stepping stone to other areas in the town such as Harton Quays, St. Hilda’s Church grounds, Barrington Street area and King Street, it also provides a setting for the iconic Grade I Listed Old Town Hall and provides a civic space capable of hosting a range of events and activities.
The wider management of the market and examining ways to grow this asset will need to be explored further. The demolition of Wouldhave House in February 2013 will remove a poor quality 1960’s building and provide opportunities for more attractive development which will breathe new life into Market Square and provide a direct line of sight to the attractions of the Riverside.
The masterplan proposes two new buildings to replace Wouldhave House. The larger of the two which faces the Riverside and St. Hilda’s Church grounds is proposed as an Arts and Cultural Hub with a new Central Library and Community Hub at its heart. This would include ground floor commercial food/leisure/retail opportunities.
This building provides the opportunity for a building of significant architectural merit which would act as a ‘Culture’ counterpoint to ‘Leisure’ offer embodied in the new pool complex at the Foreshore.
The area around Market Square
Wouldhave House (Site A) St. Hilda’s Gardens
St. Hilda’s Square
Barrington Street
King Street
Market Square
Wouldhave House (Site B)
twenty e ight
The smaller of the two new buildings to be provided at Market Square would follow in terms of design but would be subordinate while still enclosing the historic space of the square. This building would again provide commercial ground floor giving active frontage onto the Square while upper floor uses could include office or education/training activities or residential.
Central to these new developments will be improvements to the public realm which will see the Market Square remodelled to provide a 21st Century civic space which retains its historic function but creates new opportunities for civic life. Ultimately, finding a new use for the Old Town Hall will give further purpose to this space and provide a further unique attraction.
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Improved public realm at Market Square
A view of Market Square looking towards the Riverside
Ferry Landing
Ferry Landing
Harton Quays
Business Centre
St. Hilda’s Church
St Hilda’s Church
Wouldhave House (Site A)
Wouldhave House (Site A)
Market Square
Market Square
Wouldhave House (Site B)
Wouldhave House (Site B)
twenty n ine
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These images show the potential linkages between the Riverside and Market Square from Ferry Approach as well as the synergies between new developments the existing buildings around Market Square and St. Hilda’s Square. Enhancing our exiting places and spaces will improve pedestrian movements and help knit the new development with existing fabric of the town.
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Wouldhave House (Site A)
Wouldhave House (Site A)
Wouldhave House (Site B)
Ferry Approach
St. Hilda’s Gardens
Market Square
A view from Ferry Approach looking towards Market Square and King Street
Improved pedestrian space and use at Market Square
th i r ty
King Street
Providing the ‘spine’ to the Town Centre and linking the Riverside with the Foreshore via Ocean Road, King Street remains the traditional and emotional heart of the Town Centre. It has many attractive buildings and a strong identity reinforced by the Metro Bridge and Station. This gives the Town Centre a strong starting point from an urban design standpoint.
However, it is the retail core which underpins the economy of the Town Centre by generating visits and expenditure in shops and other venues and as such, King Street needs to be fully integrated and have clear synergies with any new development in order for it to thrive and survive.
It is proposed that new development brought forward on land at Barrington Street is physically connected with King Street by redeveloping part of a parade of existing lower quality buildings.
This would give the new development a strong commercial frontage and presence on King Street driving footfall to both. It terms of other improvements to King Street, in time the public realm will be enhanced to tie in with other new or remodelled public areas within the Town Centre.
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A view of King Street with streetscape features at key focal points
Market Square
th i r ty one
In terms of how King Street continues to develop over time, if our other regeneration activities are successful in attracting a wider demographic to work, live and visit the town, it will be possible to sustain and grow King Street and attract a wider independent retail and food and drink offer. This will provide an exciting family orientated retail leisure offer that will attract repeat visits to the Town Centre.
This would complement the other new developments that are brought forward and give a balanced Town Centre offer.
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King Street looking towards Ocean Road
th i r ty two
Transport Interchange
Running parallel to King Street, this part of the town is of limited quality in terms of townscape and public realm and is in need of major remodelling in terms of the public realm and pedestrian and traffic/bus movements. Overall the area has a confusing ambience dominated by the backs of shops, refuse storage, highways, guard rails and crossing points.
The Keppel Street area serves as the bus station which brings visitors directly into the centre of the town. The bus shelters and stopping areas are sited downstairs from the elevated Metro Station. At present the Bus and Metro Stations give a poor sense of arrival into the Town Centre with both being in need of significant investment.
The comprehensive regeneration of this important area within the town will not only provide an opportunity to work with partners to develop an attractive public transport hub as a gateway to the town but will also facilitate integration with new developments to the east of Fowler Street. Options around the form, layout and location of any new public transport facilities will be the subject of discussions with all stakeholders.
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Keppel Street option for new Bus Station
Metro
Keppel Street
th i r ty three
Barrington Street/St. Hilda’s Square
The Barrington Street area is an interesting ‘quirky’ part of the Town Centre. The grouping of the Shields Gazette building and the turn of the century municipal buildings create an island between the busy bus lanes of Keppel Street and the Waterloo Square Development/Oyston Street car park.
Earlier clearances of buildings such as the General Havelock pub and the acquisition by the Council of the Shields Gazette building have created a development site capable of delivering approximately 50,000 sq.ft of commercial retail and leisure uses.
The development has the potential to punch through into King Street and provide greater connectivity and a retail/leisure circuit resulting in greater dwell time from visitors. Two options are shown which offer different commercial and townscape solutions to the redevelopment.
Further development opportunities between Coronation Street and Barrington Street could accommodate a further 9,500 sq.ft of retail to complement Waterloo Square while also providing for a 24,000 sq.ft digital six screen cinema and associated food and drink uses.
The redevelopment of Barrington Street is central to the success of the Town Centre regeneration as it is the key to unlocking how the town functions. New development will enable the remodelling of the highway, creation of pedestrianised areas and the re-routing of traffic which sterilises the area.
The opening up of St. Hilda’s Square and the creation of a series of intimate public spaces will enhance the attractiveness of the town and engender a better visitor/shopping experience. Proposals for this area need to be viewed in tandem with any proposals for the bus station in order to provide a comprehensive solution for the Town Centre.
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Opportunities at Barrington Street and St. Hilda’s Square
St. Hilda’s Square
Barrington Street
th i r ty four
Creating links through St. Hilda’s Square and Church grounds would also improve permeability between Market Square and the new retailing areas.
The area also has some interesting and attractive buildings which add to the character of the town as well as having two new development sites namely the former General Havelock pub and the Shields Gazette building recently acquired by the Council.
Together these will provide opportunities for new retailing activities.
There is the potential to create a series of civic spaces and assets which would knit King Street and the Market Square with the new Asda store and Waterloo Square. This would give a greater sense of a ‘whole’ place together with an enhanced ‘retail circuit’ which is attractive to shoppers and traders alike.
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Two new development sites straddling Barrington Street
Barrington Street
St Hilda’s Church
th i r ty f i ve
These images show the potential to integrate new development with existing buildings and spaces. The first image shows a view from the Market Square towards an expanded St. Hilda’s Square which now includes a pedestrianised Chapter Row.
This enables greater use and flexibility of space for events and markets which will add vibrancy to town life.
The second image shows a view from the new development along Barrington Street towards St. Hilda’s Square. Ensuring permeability for pedestrians through the new developments towards Coronation Street, Asda and Waterloo Square will be essential in reconnecting the town.
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St. Hilda’s Square
Market Square
View from Market Square towards an expanded St. Hilda’s Square
th i r ty s ix
Waterloo Square/Asda Site
A new retail quarter to the town, this has greatly expanded the Town Centre shopping offer and attracted national high street brands to Waterloo Square. The development has also provided additional Town Centre parking facilities. However, the area has the potential to remain disconnected from the traditional heart of the Town Centre and a key strand of the masterplan is to create those key links which tie these areas together.
In addition, the existing Oyston Street surface level car park has the potential to accommodate a multi-storey car park of four to five levels providing an additional 400 spaces in the heart of the Town Centre. This development would also provide some townscape interest to an area which is currently dominated by surface car parking servicing Asda and Waterloo Square.
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St. Hilda’s Square
Barrington Street
View along Barrington Street towards St. Hilda’s Square
th i r ty seven
Fowler Street
Running from the Town Hall to the Bus Station, Fowler Street fulfils a secondary shopping role but is a main route into the town for buses and cars and is therefore a key gateway into the town. While enjoying surprisingly low levels of vacancies, the street is of low quality in terms of the public realm and shop-fronts.
While there are many attractive and well appointed traditional buildings at the northern end adjacent to the Town Centre, many have been unsympathetically altered and have a neglected appearance. The quality and vitality of Fowler Street improves closer to the Town Centre with the Denmark Centre and Prince Georg Square.
However, the longer term vitality and viability of Fowler Street will need to be considered and in time it may need to be subject to more radical interventions which could create a new retail area for the town when considered with land to the rear.
To the rear of Fowler Street (west) is a mix of car parks, commercial units and some derelict/vacant sites and buildings covering approx 5.2ha. This area is in need of comprehensive redevelopment if it is to make a contribution to the South Shields offer.
The northern half of the Fowler Street site could accommodate a 60,000 sq.ft (gross) supermarket with parking while a fully assembled site extending to Western Approach would be of sufficient size and scale to accommodate a further 60,000 sq.ft retail park type development.
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View of Fowler Street West (phase 1)
Metro
Food Store
Fowler Street
Bus Station
th i r ty e ight
Ideally, this would complement the Town Centre offer by providing an ‘out of town’ style offer, primarily around the sale of bulky goods, but on the edge of the Town Centre.
This approach will help to redefine the long term economic function of the Town Centre and will stop spending leakage to Gateshead, Sunderland and North Tyneside retail parks.
In bringing this forward, the Post Office on Keppel Street would need to be acquired as this would ‘unlock’ the site and provide the opportunity to create a strong link directly into the heart of the Town Centre.
However, the development of this land in isolation of the other central Town Centre sites would undermine the long term vitality of South Shields as a retail destination. Therefore the phasing of any new comparison retailing will need to be carefully considered. If this site were to be brought forward for A1 comparison retailing (as we wish to see in the Town Centre) then we would also need to ensure that any development was not in direct competition in terms of brands/offer with new retailing brought forward in the Town Centre and that developer confidence in our proposals is not undermined.
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Enhanced pedestrian route to Metro and Bus station
Metro
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Food Store
Fowler Street
View of Fowler Street West (phase 1)
th i r ty n ine
On land to the east of Fowler Street lies the library at Prince Georg Square, some sheltered housing, a private car park and Winchester Street council car park. The area has potential for redevelopment with new housing being an obvious choice. However, these are considered to be medium to long term opportunities to be realised once key Town Centre sites have been brought forward.
The introduction of new housing on the east of Fowler Street may result in a small reduction in retailing although this will be offset by the provision of an enhanced town retail offer (to which businesses could be relocated) and a residential offer which will give additional footfall and expenditure in the town.
Winchester Street
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Potential new housing to the east of Fowler Street
Fowler Street
Winchester Street
New Housing
for ty
Ocean Road
Famous across the North East for its array of restaurants and Fish & Chip shops, Ocean Road also serves as a vital link between the retail heart Town Centre and the Foreshore.
Proposed environmental improvements to the streetscape as well as better parking management will help improve the function of the street for the restaurants and numerous guest houses.
The improvements will also provide a more attractive and pleasant pedestrian route which draws visitors to and from the Foreshore and Town Centre. In addition to environmental improvements it will also be important to consider improvements to some of the buildings.
The introduction of a shop-front improvement scheme together with design codes could be a way forward in addressing this issue.
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View from Ocean Road looking towards King Street
King Street
Ocean Road
Anderson Street
for ty one
Mile End Road Car Park
Identified in earlier reports for retail and leisure uses, the site comprises a former car park of circa 1ha. Given the surrounding land uses – retail and A3/4/5 food and drink uses there would appear to be some opportunity to expand the leisure offer at this location to help support and develop further the early evening/evening economy. The development of leisure only uses on the site may not be commercially viable and consideration will need to be given to first/second floor opportunities which could comprise office space and possibly housing although demand in the current market is weak.
In bringing this site forward for development it is essential that the opportunity to link new buildings with the Metro Station is exploited. Given that this part of the station provides for level access it provides a townscape solution which would provide integration with this facility. There is also the opportunity to take advantage of the routes into the Town Centre via Station Approach and the Edinburgh buildings and provide pedestrian legibility and clear lines of sight.
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Metro
Mile End Road
King Street
View of potential development at Mile End Road
for ty two
The key to a successful delivery strategy is to ensure that the masterplan for the Town Centre is translated into a delivery plan which sets out the range of activities which need to be undertaken in order to realise our aspirations. In terms of physical development this means strengthening links within the Town Centre as well as creating and reinforcing linkages to the Riverside and Foreshore. It is also about ensuring permeability with other areas on the periphery of the retail core which are vital to enhancing and adding value to the function and offer of the Town Centre.
The delivery plan is also about implementing a masterplan and realising the Town Centre’s considerable physical assets. There is the existing townscape, which although tired in places, has some wonderful buildings and spaces and gives a strong starting point upon which to build and deliver a vision of quality places.
There is also the suite of development sites, identified in the masterplan which will be brought forward for a variety of new uses which will support and grow the local economy. However, the timing and manner in which these sites are brought forward will need to be considered carefully. Delivering transformational change within the Town Centre will require significant investment from both the Council and the private sector which would be captured through a joint venture which would have the express objective of securing a comprehensive programme of regeneration.
Once the Council has procured a partner which shares these objectives, a delivery plan will be prepared which will set out a detailed programme of activity with milestones. Specifically the delivery plan will detail the phased release of sites and identify complementary activities which will need to be implemented to deliver our vision.
CHAPTER 5
Delivering the Vision
Transforming the Masterplan into a Delivery Plan
for ty three
Working with the Private Sector
In bringing new development forward across a range of sites within the Town Centre, it is essential that in order to maximise the regeneration benefits and to share risk and reward, the Council partners in some way, shape or form with the private sector. In recent years many new joint venture models have been piloted but these can be both lengthy and expensive to set up.
Given the scale of opportunity and the desire for the Council to make early progress, rather than establish a complex stand alone joint venture company, a straightforward development/contractual agreement would be more appropriate.
In this approach, the Council would be looking to enter into a contractual relationship with the preferred strategic partner to deliver a mix of commercial and residential regeneration across the sites within the Town Centre area. This approach should not be confused with the open market approach which would involve the ‘selling off’ of individual sites or groups of sites on an ad hoc basis to the highest bidder.
In a contractual relationship, the preferred strategic partner would be selected following an open competition and the development agreement would be cross referenced to a Development Brief for the regeneration area which sets out the Council’s objectives.
A contractual relationship for the long term regeneration of the area would require the Council and preferred strategic partner to agree terms and jointly sign a development agreement which would govern the contractual and legal arrangements between the parties. In this way, the roles and responsibilities of both parties would be established together with agreed performance measures and break clauses.
Business plans would be prepared by the partners and would provide the basis for annual or periodic review of the performance of the Agreement.
The Agreement would set out the overarching principles and put in place the broad structure to be used in achieving the objectives, the general commercial terms upon which the Council and the strategic partner will work together in pursuing those objectives and the framework and other Agreements that will be entered into in this regard.
In particular, the Agreement will deal with the following matters:
• It is anticipated that there will need to be an agreed form of Business Plan at the date of signing the Agreement. This would set out how the parties anticipate the regeneration programme working and would be reviewed at intervals. This can obviously capture obligations in relation to delivery of regeneration outputs and key milestones, including how decisions are taken. It would also include a Delivery Plan tocapture the programme of regeneration activity
• There would be a recognition by the parties that the delivery of the objectives may in part depend on securing financial assistance from Funding Agencies, and that the parties will work together (and if necessary amend the current documentation) to secure such financial assistance
The agreement could include full details of the development parameters and conditions. Contracts would be set up with the developer, so that any funds received as a consequence of disposal would be re-circulated towards regeneration projects set out in the Agreement. Full details of the type of agreement/contractual arrangements and timescales for delivery will be resolved through the procurement of the partner.
for ty four
Aligning Complementary Activities
Linking in with what others do is an essential ingredient in delivering our regeneration objectives. If the Council is to be successful in delivering place based regeneration then it is essential that the complementary activity of other Council services and stakeholders together with the private sector is acknowledged.
Central to successful delivery is the need to establish joint working wherever possible which links activities and development opportunities. Aside from providing corporate unity, this approach will also maximise the impact of our regeneration strategies and may also attract additional funding to support complementary activities with third parties.
In broad terms, this joint working covers the following topics which broadly align with the proposed Town Centre workstreams:
• Governance
• Partnership Working
• Housing
• Town Centre Management
• Transport Management
• Place Marketing
Having structures in place which enable these complementary areas of work to be examined in detail will be a golden thread of our approach to project and programme management. Ensuring the free flow of information and identifying areas of cross over and joint working will ensure we have better regeneration outcomes for the Town Centre and that the Council and its public and private sector partners work better and closer with each other.
Governance
The regeneration of South Shields Town Centre is South Tyneside Council’s key regeneration priority and will remain so until the objectives set out in the masterplan have been achieved.
The Leader of the Council and the Cabinet are committed to investing in the Town Centre and securing a sustainable economic future for our residents and businesses. The Council recognises the need to intervene and create opportunity and to show leadership in addressing those structural issues which are common to many post industrial towns across England.
This commitment to change and innovative ways of working with private sector partners who share our aspiration will help stimulate growth, opportunity and prosperity for our residents across South Tyneside and those wishing to invest in South Shields.
Political Governance arrangements are defined in the Council’s constitution with major decisions made by Cabinet and Council.
Stakeholder Governance arrangements for the regeneration of South Shields are currently being reviewed but will need to include any private sector partners appointed by the Council to deliver schemes within the Town Centre. There are also new opportunities to work with Town Centre traders through a Town Team. This is to be established in December 2012 and will provide a forum for local businesses to work with the Council to improve Town Centre management and promote a range of activities and initiatives.
for ty f i ve
Corporate Governance arrangements will manage the range of activities that will be undertaken by the Council to deliver the regeneration of the Town Centre.
Central to this is the Town Centre Management Group chaired by the Corporate Director for Economic Regeneration. Given the many different facets and components of the regeneration and management of the Town Centre, a suite of structured work streams, tasked to review particular issues and identify solutions will be established which will report to the Town Centre Management Group. Some groups are/will be time limited and will operate on a task and finish basis while others will be more strategic and longer term.
Initially these will comprise:
• Procurement
• Finance
• Public Realm and Transportation
• Property and Assets
• Housing
• Communications and Events
• Economic Development
Collectively these will cover the broad range of activities that will be undertaken by the Council to ensure delivery on the ground within the next 18 months.
Partnership Working - Reducing liabilities while creating opportunity
As part of any new development proposals we should be seek to maximise the impact upon the local economy while minimise future burdens for the Council. For example, the Council may not wish to adopt any future structural landscaping within the public realm associated with new developments. This could provide the opportunity for the creation of local community enterprises and training opportunities through maintenance and management. This approach has been a central theme of other joint venture opportunities.
Third sector organisations such as Groundworks would appear well placed to work with the Council and the private sector to deliver such opportunities. In developing proposals for capital projects, all opportunities to reduce public maintenance liabilities should be explored in tandem with private sector partners to identify alternative solutions which will generate employment and training opportunities for residents of the borough.
for ty s ix
Town Centre Housing
The type and number of housing units brought forward within the Town Centre will have the potential to play a major role in reshaping the socio-economic profile. The current Town Centre housing offer for new properties is limited in terms of recent new build (Westoe Crown and Amethyst Gardens) and the development sites within the masterplan may provide opportunity to expand this offer. Attracting and retaining a range of residents to create sustainable and balanced communities will be important but attracting ‘family builders’ to South Shields (25-44 years old) may help sustain existing shops and services in the Town Centre.
Key to the success of new housing will be ‘getting it right’ in terms of price/product and location and also in tying it into a wider place based vision. A key issue to resolve will be the level of affordable housing provided in any new schemes.
Town Centre Management
Given the breadth and scope of activities underway and planned for the Town Centre, Riverside and Foreshore, there will be a need for the Council to have some form of operational management overview which goes beyond our current range of activities. Having formal management arrangements in place would address operational management issues such as litter/graffiti etc to more strategic issues such as developing a business plan for the market. Such arrangements could also be a conduit for growth by providing advice and ‘signposting’ to those wanting to establish new businesses in the town.
A single management strategy would provide a broad overview of activities within Town Centre and Riverside and would provide a point of connection and contact between the Council and traders/users of the centre. This approach may also help to grow the offer and market South Shields as a destination of choice for residents of the borough and visitors.
Moreover, engaging with the existing businesses and shops through the Town Team would be a further means of ensuring that all sections of the Town Centre community have a stake in the future Town Centre while providing the Town Centre business community with a direct line into the Council
As new developments are rolled forward, the potential merits of a Town Centre Management Service should be reviewed by the Council and its private sector partner having regard to existing provision/management services.
for ty seven
Transport Management
Understanding traffic movements and circulation within the Town Centre as well as parking and pedestrian movements will be central to improving the function of the town in providing a more pedestrian friendly environment. Working with public transport providers to enhance service provision will be an integral part of our activities.
Gateways: There is a lack of a sense of ‘arrival’ upon entering South Shields. Undertaking a gateway study to look at targeted interventions along the Coast Road, A194 (Western Approach), A1018 at Imeary Street would assist in enhancing perceptions and the legibility of the Town Centre.
Directional Signage: There is a need to have clear coherent signage into the Town Centre at key locations which could include New Tyne Crossing, Lindisfarne Roundabout, Testo’s Roundabout, Whitemare Pool junction and Whitburn. Ensuring visitors are guided into the Town Centre from the earliest opportunity will provide an enhanced visitor arrival experience as well as flagging up the Town Centre as a destination to visitors.
Town Centre Arrival via Public Transport: First impressions are currently fairly poor and the existing facilities do not provide a sense of arrival into the town which is comparable to other visitor destinations.
The Metro Station, while having a unique raised platform over King Street, does not give a positive message to our visitors. Given the number of visitors who travel by Metro into the town over the summer period, the station should be an outstanding facility which showcases our offer and aspirations. Similarly, the Bus Station has stagnated over the years and has no sense of integration with the Metro Station.
Moreover, Keppel Street, Chapter Row and Church Way are dominated by highways, buses travelling at speed and guard rails which funnel pedestrians away from their ‘desire lines’ into formal crossing points. This is an unsatisfactory arrangement and serves to degrade the appearance of the Town Centre while effectively severing it in two. Addressing some of these issues will be fundamental to improving the functionality of the town. Finally the Ferry Service needs to be recognised as a unique asset and marketed as a gateway into the Town Centre and borough.
Options around relocating the Metro Station and bus interchange to the southern side of Keppel Street will be explored in order to provide a better integration with new development opportunities as well as providing an enhanced point of arrival.
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Car parking: Ensuring that the Town Centre has a sufficient number of car parking spaces which are accessible and meet the needs of visitors will be essential in moving forward.
New parking opportunities which increase the number of spaces close to facilities will be explored as this will be an essential component of any new developments brought forward by the private sector.
Two options are shown for new Town Centre car parks. The first at Union Alley which would be accessed by vehicles from North Road car park while providing pedestrian access directly into the Market Square.
The second option shows a new decked car park on the existing Oyston Street surface level car park which would give doorstep parking to the new developments at Barrington Street.
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King Street
Union Alley
Waterloo Square
Coronation Street
Asda Car Park
Union Alley Car Park
Oyston Street Car Park
North Street
Car parking at Union Alley
New decked car park at Oyston Street
Market Square
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Communicating the Vision to Partners and Stakeholders
South Tyneside has a great deal to offer to both residents and visitors in terms of housing, jobs, open space and leisure as well as excellent transport links. It is a place which provides a high standard of living and a quality of life while not paying a premium. In moving forward it is essential to have a strategy in place which markets the borough and its assets.
Understanding the ‘DNA’ of South Tyneside and the scope of the ‘offer’ will be an integral part of any place marketing strategy which should seek to attract economically active 25-44 year old family builders who can take advantage of excellent schools and other facilities. However, if inward migration is to be promoted and sustained then the ‘offer’ must be supported by a strong housing offer which meets demand and need and which is able to compete in terms of price and more importantly quality within the sub-regional market.
The regeneration of South Shields Town Centre is a key project amongst a number of major capital investments which are at the heart of the ‘Shaping our Future’ strategy for South Tyneside.
It is vital that residents, stakeholders and partners are made fully aware of the regeneration proposals for the Town Centre and are provided with every opportunity to fully engage with the exciting plans and strategies that are developed to facilitate this.
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If you have any enquiries please contact:
John Sparkes Corporate Lead Regeneration South Tyneside Council
e: [email protected] t: 0191 424 7603
Comms/2623/DEC2012
