The Newcastle Gateshead Quays arena, conference, and exhibition centre scheme is slowly coming to life as hoardings have been erected and enabling works begun on the site
Developer Ask:PATRIZIA has instructed contractor BAM Construction to work on the initial preparation works to the site between the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, the Sage Gateshead and Gateshead College on Hawks Road.
Led by Gateshead Council, the development comes at a cost of some £300m of regeneration investment.
Looking to the future
The enabling works package is a positive step forward for developing the arena and conference centre scheme and will create 2,000 new job opportunities (during construction and upon completion within the complex itself) and provide a £70 million annual boost to the local economy.
Over one million additional visitors are expected annually at the site.
By working with key partners, suppliers and sub-contractors, BAM aims to ensure a smooth start to work with minimal disruption to surrounding roads and footpaths.
Under a separate contract, full construction will begin in the new year and be completed by 2024.
What will be there?
Newcastle Gateshead Quays will feature
- world class 12,500 capacity arena
- purpose-built conference and exhibition centre managed by ASM Global
- restaurants
- dual-branded hotel provided by Accor
- large areas of outdoor realm and performance space.
The site will be directly connected to Gateshead’s district energy network and include cycle provision and electric vehicle charging points.
BAM and Ask:PATRIZIA plan to incorporate various sustainability enhancements and significant social value measures.
‘A vital site for Gateshead and the wider region’
Councillor Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council, said:
“We are delighted to see work beginning on what is a vital site for Gateshead and the wider region.
“We will work closely with our partners and local stakeholders to ensure the development progresses smoothly, and we deliver a project that creates good quality jobs and provides a huge boost to our economy.”
John Phillips, regional director for BAM Construction North East, said:
“Gateshead and the North East are very significant to us, because our people and our hearts are there and we know the local companies and suppliers so well.
“It’s a transformational scheme which everybody will benefit from and we have a wonderful opportunity to use our time here to enhance lives and give something back to Gateshead and its people.
“I’m very grateful that trust and confidence in BAM has allowed us to become involved at this stage. We continue to work hard on what is a large, complex scheme in tough market conditions.”
Speaking on behalf of the Ask:PATRIZIA partnership, John Hughes, managing director of Ask Real Estate, said:
“Having worked with BAM on numerous previous schemes we know that they have the expertise and skills to deliver this world-class facility for us on behalf of Gateshead Council.”
Funding
The North East Local Enterprise Partnership provided £5m from its Local Growth Fund to support designs and site investigations for the Newcastle Gateshead Quays scheme.
A further £7m came from the government’s Getting Building Fund to support the establishment of infrastructure locally, build a new link road connecting Baltic Quarter with the A184 and Felling Bypass and a new multi-storey car park.
Both the Local Growth Fund and Getting Building Fund are managed by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.
