The Site of Gateshead's Odeon Rises from the Ashes

Grand new plans have been unveiled for the former Odean Cinema site on the High Street in Gateshead. Plans by North East firm Gill Properties for the site include a 97 bedroom 6 storey hotel, bar & restaurant along with a 72 bed care home.

Latest Developments with Trinity Square

Northumbria University has now officially signed up to Partner the town centre development, with the new student accommodation element of the development set to offer 993 high spec rooms to future students at the university from 2014 onwards.

The official press release

One step closer to Gateshead renaissance

The development of Gateshead centre has reached another major milestone as the largest university in North East England confirmed that it will play a key role in one of the biggest regeneration schemes in the country. 

Northumbria University has reached agreement jointly with Gateshead Council and Spenhill, the regeneration subsidiary of Tesco, to establish brand new, high-quality, student accommodation in the heart of Gateshead’s redeveloped town centre.

This agreement fulfils a key part of the Spenhill proposal, which will bring almost 1,000 of the University’s 36,000 students – who hail from more than 130 nations – to a revitalised Gateshead centre, just minutes from the attractions of Gateshead Quays and with easy access to central Newcastle upon Tyne.

Northumbria University’s Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey, said: “We are investing in quality accommodation for the benefit of our students but also bridging the river, extending our reach across the NewcastleGateshead area, to embed university life and activity close to the internationally visible cultural attractions on Gateshead Quays.

“This is a very exciting project for the University. Partnership working of this kind marks the contribution a university can make to the economic, cultural and social well-being of an area.”  

The Northumbria University complex will take its place on the urban skyline where a multi-storey car park made famous by the Michael Caine movie ‘Get Carter’ once stood.  Sitting above planned retail and urban amenities, which will transform Gateshead town centre, the 993 bedroom development is due to open in 2014.

Spenhill received planning permission from Gateshead Council’s Planning and Development Committee for a £150 million development at Trinity Square in Gateshead in November last year.  The scheme is one of the few UK town centre developments that are progressing in the current economic climate.

Spenhill’s development manager, Graham Haydon-White, said:  “Spenhill is delighted to be investing in this state-of-the-art accommodation for Northumbria University at the heart of the Trinity Square development.  It will significantly add to the vibrancy of the town centre, as well as bringing a major boost to the economy of Gateshead.  We believe that Trinity Square will act as a catalyst for future growth and employment in the area.  Enabling works have already started on site.”

The standard of accommodation will be high, with exercise and leisure facilities complementing en-suite study bedrooms and attractive social spaces. The building, designed by award-winning architects 3DReid, will, when complete, be 346,685 sq feet (32,207 sq m) in size.  It will be built in eight separate blocks, with entry through a student hub, adjacent to which, a paved plaza will accommodate large numbers of students.  

The plaza itself is next to an all-weather sports pitch along the northern edge of a roof terrace – which at 125,938 sq ft (11,700 sq m) is almost as big as Gateshead Stadium arena.  A “green” roof area will be planted with wild flowers and a “brown” roof area will encourage wildlife and form part of the setting for a running track within the scheme, along with timber decking and shrub planting.  

The accommodation will be located right beside Gateshead Interchange, one of the most accessible public transport hubs in Tyne and Wear.  It is also placed within easy access to the University’s City Campus on foot or bicycle over the Tyne and High Level bridges or via Gateshead Quays and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge.

Leader of Gateshead Council, Mick Henry, said: “Bringing Northumbria University students to reside in the heart of Gateshead centre will completely change and revitalise the dynamics of our borough.  This is exactly what local residents have been asking for and it’s exactly what will bring further investor confidence, civic pride and a greater boost to the local economy.  We’ve made an important step for Gateshead’s future here and key progress that will strengthen our bid for city status.

“This also signifies the growing partnership working we have with Northumbria University, to work together on a broad range of collaborative programmes designed to support enterprise and innovation and enrich civic life across Gateshead.”  

Jonathan Walker, head of member relations at the North East Chamber of Commerce, said its 350 members in Gateshead would welcome the news as it is bringing certainty to the future of the town centre which has been under discussion for a number of years: “It will be a major boost to the town centre, including ambitions to develop a broad ranging economy in the town.  It is great news.”

Dan Kent, the appointed letting agent for the retail and leisure element at Savills, commented: “With the entire town centre being completely regenerated, the Spenhill development at Gateshead is currently the most significant mixed-use scheme of its kind outside of London. The retail and leisure element will add a new lease of life to the town, while the student accommodation will be a great boost to its economy.”

Credit : http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/browse/ne/uninews/Gatesheadrenaissance   12th July 2011