Grainger Town is the historic heart of Newcastle upon Tyne. Covering approximately 36 hectares, it comprises a complex mix of offices, retail, residential, leisure and cultural uses. Although once Newcastle’s prime office location and main shopping area, population declined throughout the 20th Century, whilst development of the Eldon Square Shopping Centre and redevelopment of the Quayside led to the migration of many of the larger shops and offices to more modern premises. By the early 1990s, Grainger Town was in serious decline and exhibiting all the classic symptoms of urban decay.

In 1996 consultants were commissioned to produce a coherent regeneration strategy for Grainger Town that was used to prepare a bid for government funding. The project attracted £40 million of public funding from English Partnerships (One North East), the SRB Challenge Fund, English Heritage, Newcastle City Council, and Tyneside TEC (Tyne and Wear Learning and Skills Council). A target was set to attract an additional £80 million of investment from the private sector.

It was recognised that Grainger Town represented a complex urban system and that its revival must be tackled in a holistic way which respected its fine grain.  Programmes were therefore developed around the seven inter-related regeneration themes of business development and enterprise; commercial development; access to opportunity; housing; quality of environment; arts, culture and tourism; and management, marketing and promotion.

A central aim was to improve and enhance the area’s physical environment, primarily by restoring and conserving the architectural heritage. This was complemented with essential improvements to 121 buildings which were brought back into use during the project’s lifetime for a range of commercial, retail and residential uses. Milestone projects included the restoration and transformation of the French Renaissance-style Union Rooms into a public house and the redevelopment and conversion of the former department store, creating “the Bond Street of Newcastle”. The removal of inappropriate canopies and introduction of high quality shopfronts more in keeping with the buildings above also helped enormously in enhancing the vertical landscape.

Housing Associations acted as trailblazers for the process of converting listed buildings – often severely dilapidated or with technical problems such as difficult access – within budget. Overall the project created over 300 new flats and apartments. With the forthcoming completion of ongoing schemes, the number of residential units created will rise to almost 400.

In 1998, the partnership carried out a study to identify opportunities to improve streets and spaces in Grainger Town. The study considered an urban design framework for street furniture and opportunities for public art and lighting schemes. As a result, the project funded major improvements to the public realm, with a focus on achieving a high-quality, durable environment. The improvements have been well regarded and have helped to increase business confidence in the area, as well as enhancing the spaces bringing life and vibrancy to the area. A grant scheme for shop-front improvements was set up, which resulted in the removal of 1960s shop canopies and the introduction of high quality shop-fronts more in keeping with the buildings above and has reinforced architectural integrity and consistency. A range of artwork and lighting schemes was designed and installed. Engraved glass, granite, and stainless steel benches light up the area at night, and acrylic images of Earl Grey’s head, recessed into the plinth o
f Grey’s Monument, are illuminated in various colours.

Art pieces include bronze statues, a bronze 3D map adjacent to the Central railway station, and a memorial plaque commemorated to Richard Grainger. In May 2002, a statue to Cardinal Basil Hume, set in an area of open space, was unveiled adjacent to the City’s Catholic Cathedral. A ceremonial arch for the Chinese community has been constructed within the City’s China Town area.

As part of the project’s forward strategy, a maintenance charter was agreed by OneNorthEast, Newcastle City Council, and the Grainger Town Board, setting out levels of post-completion maintenance for all investment in the public realm, including paving, artwork and lighting schemes. Unique to Grainger Town has been the investment placed in the Project’s support framework, with considerable effort made to engage as wide a range of partners as possible, thereby increasing ownership of the regeneration process.

The Grainger Town Partnership was a company limited by guarantee. Its board of 20 directors comprised six city councillors, six representatives nominated by the various public agencies, six from the private sector, and two Grainger Town residents. Their skills and expertise were successfully shared to maximise development opportunities and to ensure quality by design. Six expert panels were set up, widening further the expertise and experience base.  A residents’ forum and a business forum met on a monthly basis to give their views prior to Board meetings. In total over 90 stakeholders were engaged through the various panels and forums.

The 15-strong project team played an important role in urging developers to consider the long-term value of investing in quality, and to settle the “conservation versus development” argument once and for all. Members of the team worked hard to persuade developers that retaining quality buildings made good financial sense, and produced a publication entitled Investing in Quality to reinforce the message. It provided advice and assistance on all aspects of the regeneration of Grainger Town, including how to deal with the problems and complexities of historic buildings and by acting as an intermediary between developers and funding agencies.

The project’s successes have increasingly been noticed in regeneration circles, with Grainger Town featuring prominently in English Heritage’s Power of Place publication. In 2003, it was awarded the European Nostra prize for Cultural Heritage, the RTPI Silver Jubilee Cup, and Best Completed Project by the Association of Town Centre Management. 

Grainger Town has demonstrated how a historic environment can play a vital role in the life of a city. The project focussed on the buildings and the economic and social well being of the area. The magnificent architectural heritage received the care and attention it deserved, underpinned and sustained by a transformation in the way the area is used.