Graingertown

Investing in quality

New

castle upon Tyne

Foreword

After the last few years, the name ‘Grainger Town’ nowstands for ‘quality’ in our Northern urban environment.What visionary builder, Richard Grainger, and succeedingdesigners of flair and ability, have bequeathed to us, is a citycentre of exceptional quality, second to none in the country.

But, although most of us by now respect this qualityand its undoubted value to the economy of Newcastle,there are others who do not share this recognition andunderstanding. Personal development interests and shortterm gain sometimes get in the way.

This persuasive publication is aimed at these limitinginterests. It urges doubters to think again and to admit thereality of the long term value of investing in quality. Tellingstatements are ordered and relevantevidence is marshalled to settle the sterile‘conservation versus development’argument once and for all.

So let us join in partnership toretain and enhance the quality inGrainger Town because now we allknow it makes good financial sense too.

Councillor Tony FlynnChairman of the Grainger Town Partnership andLeader of Newcastle City Council

contents

Page...

Purpose of the handbook 2.

Grainger Town’s significance 4.

The value of quality 8.

Plans for the future 18.

Finding help and expertise 24.

Grant schemes available 30.

Point of contact 32.

The Grainger Town Project1st Floor

Central Exchange Buildings128 Grainger Street

Newcastle upon TyneNE1 5AF

tel: 0191 261 9000fax: 0191 230 3770

e welcome this timelyreport on Newcastle’smagnificent Grainger

Town. We endorse its view thathistoric areas of city centres canbecome ‘great places’ for bothinvestors and local communitieswhile still conserving their heritage.

Some people, even someprofessionals, are scepticalof the value of retain-ing historic buildingsand feel frustratedby the restrictionsimposed on ListedBuildings in particu-lar. But experienceshows that with skill,creativity and persistence worth-while solutions can be found tovirtually all the problems in-volved. Success may take longerin a historic quarter, as it de-pends on promoting a mix ofuses and raising demandthroughout the area, but it isachievable and well worthachieving. The many examples,from Britain and abroad, showthis to be true.

Newcastle contains some ofthe finest urban architecture inthe country. The regeneration of

W

Brian Raggett -Brian Raggett -Brian Raggett -Brian Raggett -Brian Raggett - President of the RTPI

Simon Kolesar -Simon Kolesar -Simon Kolesar -Simon Kolesar -Simon Kolesar - President of the RICS

Sir Jocelyn Stevens - Sir Jocelyn Stevens - Sir Jocelyn Stevens - Sir Jocelyn Stevens - Sir Jocelyn Stevens - Chairman of English Heritage

StuarStuarStuarStuarStuart Lipton -t Lipton -t Lipton -t Lipton -t Lipton - Chair of the Commission forArchitecture and the Built Environment

Richard RoRichard RoRichard RoRichard RoRichard Rogers - gers - gers - gers - gers - Chairman of the Urban Task Force

David Rock - David Rock - David Rock - David Rock - David Rock - President of the RIBA 1998/99

Nick Thompson - Nick Thompson - Nick Thompson - Nick Thompson - Nick Thompson - Prudential Portfolio Managers

Michael Gwilliam - Michael Gwilliam - Michael Gwilliam - Michael Gwilliam - Michael Gwilliam - Director The Civic Trust

Dr. Malcolm AirsDr. Malcolm AirsDr. Malcolm AirsDr. Malcolm AirsDr. Malcolm Airs - Chairman of IHBC

endo

rsem

ents

Grainger Town is creating amemorable historic area in oneof Europe’s re-awakeningregional capitals. The publicsector is making a substantialcontribution. Now is the timefor the private sector, led bythe professionals, to be fullyinvolved.

Graingertown

3

s one of Britain’s proudest and most distinctivecities – with over 2,000 years of history and morethan 1,500 Listed buildings, and now one of Eu-

rope’s emerging regional capitals – Newcastle has beenactively promoting the regeneration of its city centre forsome time. The results are becoming clearly visible, not onlyin its modern shopping centre and along the award-winningQuayside, but also in Grainger Town, its historic but previ-ously run-down core.

This handbook has been produced by urban regenera-tion experts URBED to help property owners and investorsand their advisers make the most of the potential ofGrainger Town, and to ensure that the quality of any devel-opment matches the standards now required in the success-ful historic quarters of great cities. The handbook:

explains why Grainger Town is of nationalsignificance

reviews research into the value of quality in urban regen-eration and the commercial performance of Listedbuildings

shows what is already happening in Grainger Town(through local case studies) and its future potential(drawing on success stories from comparable cities inEurope), and

explains how the Grainger Town Partnership is able tohelp development projects.

Some people claim that conservation of a historic area anddevelopment that meets modern needs are incompatible.However, other cities have used their heritage to creatememorable centres which combine economic success withthe highest architectural and environmental standards. Else-where, developers have seen Listed buildings and historicenvironments as assets not liabilities. Thus the potential forbuilding on Richard Grainger’s splendid legacy to Newcastleto create a truly great and successful city centre is immense.

The Grainger Town Vision“Grainger Town will become a dynamic and competitive location in the heart of the City.Grainger Town will develop its role in the regional economy with a high-quality environmentappropriate to a major European regional capital. Its reputation for excellence will be focusedon leisure, culture and the arts, retailing, housing and entrepreneurial activities. GraingerTown will become a distinctive place, a safe and attractive location to work, live and visit.”

handbookof thepurpose

CentralStation

St. Nicholas CathedralThe Castle

Greenmarket

GraingerMarket

Grey’sMonument

Theatre Royal

St. Nicholas’Cathedral

Central Station

AssemblyRooms

St. Mary’sCathedral

BlackfriarsTownWall

Tyne Theatre& Opera House

Eldon Square

Eldon SquareShoppingCentre

1

2

3

96

7

5

10

4

5

64

1

2

3 7

8

The Union Rooms

The Metropolitan

The Red Box

76-80 Clayton Street

Central Exchange

Bank of England

Former Binns Store£4 million pub development

New bar/restaurant

Residential conversion

New commercial space

Mixed-use conversion

Living over the shop

Fashion retail development

Environmental improvements

GraingerTown Case studies referred to in this handbook

grown in

Public Realm Works

9 Galen HouseNew housing development

8

A

University ofNorthumbria

CivicCentre

Northumberland StreetThe QuaysideSt. James’ Park

Eldon Square

10 Workspace for small businessesTurners Building

Newcastle University

4

f Grainger Town’s exceptional architectural meritthere is no doubt. Virtually all of it is included in

Newcastle’s Central Conservation Area, one of thefirst to be designated in England. 240 of its buildings, halfof all those in the area, are Listed. What is more, an aston-ishing 30% of these are designated as Grade I or Grade II*– ‘buildings… of particularly great importance to thenation’s built heritage’. In the country as a whole, only 6% ofListed buildings fall into these higher categories.

Grainger Town occupies much of the southern part ofthe city centre, and takes its name from a series of elegant,classical streets conceived as a whole and built by RichardGrainger between 1835 and 1842, at the end of the Geor-gian period. Its centrepiece, Grey Street, with a wonderfulrising curve, is widely acknowledged as ‘the finest Classicalstreet in England’. However the area also includes medievalstreets like Bigg Market, the 13th century Dominican Friaryof Blackfriars and remnants of the old Town Wall, and afterGrainger’s day it was extended with many fine Victoriancommercial buildings. All this gives Grainger Town a greatrichness of character. It now covers some 90 acres right inthe centre of the city, between Newcastle’s Central Stationand the thriving regional shopping area of NorthumberlandStreet and Eldon Square. It is well served too by Newcas-tle’s efficient Metro system, and the city’s two universities, theCastle and the regenerated Quayside, with its stylish prom-enade, hotels and offices, are also close by. (See map page 2.)

Grainger Town was built as a commercial centre withshops below housing or offices. Although there are sometruly palatial buildings, such as the Theatre Royal, the formerBranch Bank of England and Grainger Market, most of theoriginal buildings are quite small, but they are joined togetherto form terraces with beautifully proportioned facades. Theoverall character of the streets is therefore just as importantas the quality of the individual buildings.

O

‘Grey Street is...one of the best inEngland’

Nikolaus Pevsner,Northumberland(The Buildings of England)1957

Grainger

5

significanceTown’s

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Nash’s Classical Terraces:A good investment

The great sweeping curve ofRegent Street designed by JohnNash, which links London’scommercial West End with thelarge terraced houses aroundRegent’s Park, may have providedan inspiration for Grey Street, butthese imposing buildings fell outof fashion too. Restoration workby the Crown Estate has encour-aged private investment infashionable shops and offices, andhouses that not long ago wereconsidered not worth saving havenow sold for up to £7 million.

It comes as a surprise to manypeople that the great industrial city

of Newcastle has one of the finestcentres in Britain. Famous for its

dramatic bridges over the Tyne andfor being one of the world’s great

party cities, Newcastle has even beenvoted the most popular UK city towork in. Yet its magnificent central

area – Grainger Town – is less wellknown, even though its architecture

ranks with that of Bath orEdinburgh New Town.

The Cloth Market early 19th century, froman engraving by Thomas Miles Richardson

‘At two we went toNewcastle and sawthe principal objects,including especially thefine church andlantern, the gem of anold castle and GreyStreet - I think ourbest modern street’

Diary of W.E.Gladstone 1862

A Brief History

What makes Grainger Townexceptional is the series ofclassical streets developed in aperiod of frenetic constructionbetween 1835 and 1842which are overlaid on thepattern of the medievalsettlement that was therebefore.

Newcastle was unusual inthat up until 1830 there was alarge property – AndersonPlace – with extensivegrounds within the city walls.This became available on thedeath of Major Anderson in1831, creating a uniquedevelopment opportunity. Anumber of schemes weredrawn up but only RichardGrainger had the capacity totake the project on. As onecommentator remarked: ‘Whileothers think, Mr Grainger acts’.

Grainger’s idea was to linkthe smart residential areas tothe north with the crampedtrading district above thequayside. In so doing he crea-

Like all historic areas Grainger Town has been throughmany changes. First the fashionable residents began movingout to the suburbs, and the population decline continued formost of the 20th century. Even so Grainger Town, espe-cially Grey Street and Mosley Street, was until recentlyNewcastle’s prime office location. Grainger Street was itsmain shopping street and Clayton Street a secondary shop-ping area. But since the 1970s the development of theEldon Square shopping centre and the redevelopment ofthe Quayside have greatly expanded the city centre, andmany of the larger shops and offices have moved out ofGrainger Town to more modern premises. As space,especially on upper floors, became empty and there wasincreased traffic on the streets, the area began to look down-at-heel.

evertheless Grainger Town remains an importantpart of Newcastle city centre, and it is stilla distinctive place. It has survived with remarkably

few modern intrusions, and its streets and buildings have anunderlying quality which is comparable with the very best inEurope. It has all the potential to become a memorable andprosperous quarter at the heart of a great city – a highlydesirable place to live in, to work in and to visit. Its regenera-tion is already seeing it start to reclaim its position as a place tobe proud of, and an area worth investing in for the future.

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Leeds Victoria Quarter:A place to be proud of

Leeds has promoted itscentre as a ‘24 hour city’,and changed its image withspecialist shops that havemade use of grand 19th

century buildings such as theCorn Exchange. A recreatedarcade called The VictoriaQuarter has attracted abranch of Harvey Nichols,and the superbly restoredmarket is also highly popular.

6

N

ted an entirely new commer-cial centre with wide, elegantstreets. This was both difficultand controversial. The princi-pal street, now Grey Street,had to follow the steep curveof the Lort Burn, but Graingerturned this to great advantagein designing what is acknowl-edged to be one of Britain’sfinest streets. Two otherstreets, Grainger Street andClayton Street, providedlinkages to Bigg Market andWestgate Road.

However several buildings,including the old theatre andthe Butcher Market, had to bedemolished, and a newTheatre Royal and GraingerMarket were built as replace-ments. Other fine buildings,such as the Central Exchange,formed part of the overallplan, and the composition wascompleted by Grey’s Monu-ment which was erected in1838, to commemorate EarlGrey, Prime Minister from1831 to 1834, and his role inthe passing of the GreatReform Act.

7

The map to the left shows the centre ofNewcastle in 1830 prior to Grainger’sdevelopments. The plan above, drawn just14 years later, shows Grainger’sdevelopments in their completed form.Top:Top:Top:Top:Top:An early artist’s impression of the plansfor Grainger Town (never fully realised).Centre:Centre:Centre:Centre:Centre:A portrait of Richard Grainger c.1830 fromLaing Art Gallery (artist unknown).

98

value

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

in

The Union Rooms

The former Union Club inWestgate Road, a ListedVictorian building describedin Pevsner as ‘a splendidFrench chateau’, lay emptyfor over 20 years in spite ofits grand staircase andimpressively-sized rooms andits location close to CentralStation. The 22,000 sq. ft.building has recently beenrenovated and convertedinto a pub/restaurant/winebar, which occupies the threelower floors, by the J DWetherspoon chain. There isalso space for up to 7 flatson the top two floors.

Although the originalbuilding contained muchwasted space, and vandalismand dry rot had causedextensive damage, therenovation has largelyfollowed the original design.The spacious, high-ceilingedrooms have been retained;the stone staircase and the

cast iron dome have beenrestored; the plasterwork,fireplaces, stained glass andother details have beenreplaced to match what waspreviously there.

The total cost of theproject was £4.2 million, butthe result is a great success.Wetherspoons know thatcreating a special environ-ment with high standards isessential in such a highlycompetitive business astheirs. They have severalListed buildings in theirestate.

‘The Grainger Town Project Teamacted as facilitators. They oiled thewheels and helped us deal with thecontentious issues…They helped adream come true’Ian Lear, Project Architect, Lawrence TringArchitects.

the

of

nly a small number of cities still retaintheir historic cores intact and Newcastle is

one of them. Few places can boast ofsuch a fine ensemble of streets and buildings rightin their centres, and those that do now look afterthem with great care. Not only are they to beadmired in their own right, but they are irreplace-able and, given the pressures on modern cities,unrepeatable. Above all they have the potentialfor creating a special atmosphere, a memorablesense of place, that can be very valuable.

It is ironic that over the years the historic areasof many cities have been destroyed, often in thename of progress, and their buildings replacedwith utilitarian designs that have not stood the testof time. Only with hindsight can it be seen whata mistake was often made. In London, forexample, there were serious plans after the war todemolish the Nash terraces that surround Regent’sPark. Now they are among the most sought afterand most expensive houses in the capital. Otherareas such as Edinburgh’s Old Town, Dublin’sTemple Bar and London’s Covent Garden havebeen threatened too, but all have survived andbecome world-famous attractions.

Historic areas in city centres are therefore rare,and those that do remain often enjoy greatfinancial success, provided that sympathetic usesare found for their buildings and that the area as awhole, including its public spaces, is properlymanaged. While not suitable for every type ofuse, historic areas and the special atmosphere thatthey create are especially attractive for certainactivities, such as tourism,housing, entertainment,creative industriesand specialtyshopping.

O

quality

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Dublin, Temple Bar:From liability to asset

At one time Georgian build-ings were seen as an unwel-come hangover from Britishrule, but they now help tomake Dublin one of the mostsuccessful tourist destinationsin Europe. Temple Bar, right inthe centre of the city, whichwas to have been demolishedto make way for a new busstation, is now one of theleading attractions. Through amixture of public and privateinvestment, together withenergetic marketing, it hasbeen turned into a thrivingcultural quarter and alterna-tive shopping area, with manybars, hotels and restaurants.

1110

The Metropolitan

The conversion of the groundfloor of 35 Grey Street into afashionable bar and eatingplace shows just what can bedone with the interior of aGrade II* building. Thearchitects, Provin and Makin,have retained many of theoriginal features but inserted alightweight mezzanine floor tocreate a highly contemporaryspace with room for up to170 diners.

The building was originallydesigned to house two banks.

Its new lease of life illustratesboth the flexibility of manyhistoric buildings and thegrowing market for stylisheating and drinking in thearea. The Metropolitan’sowners are now looking toexpand elsewhere.

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

in

owever all areas go through bad periods as well asgood, through decline as well as renaissance.

Historic areas can take a long time to adapt tonew roles, and the process needs careful assistance. What isessential is to retain and build up the special character ofthe area as a whole, and to bring life and vitality back to thestreets.

Economic regeneration and the restoration of historicbuildings need to go hand in hand, for the best way topreserve a fine building is to find the right use for it. Thisrequires creative, flexible thinking, not necessarily standardsolutions. Interim uses may need to be encouraged tocreate demand and to prevent buildings, or significant partsof them, deteriorating by being left empty for long peri-ods. However, there is now no shortage of examples todraw inspiration from – many of which have succeeded infar less attractive areas than Grainger Town.

H

As well as attracting largenumbers of visitors, TempleBar is also becoming apopular place to live. Whatwas once a blighted area is nowa recognised economic asset forthe city.

‘The restoration of derelict buildingsto enable contemporary economic usessends out powerful signals to otherproperty owners and potentialinvestors in an area, which canspark a virtuous cycle of improve-ment’The Heritage Dividend, English Heritage, 1999.

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

in

The Red Box

Newcastle’s former PostOffice, an imposing Grade IIListed building in GraingerTown with over 100,000sq. ft. of space on 3 floors,which was empty for 5 years,is now undergoing an imagin-ative conversion to a rangeof uses. These include offices,2 restaurants, 12 flats, agallery and flexible space thatmay be used for artistsstudios. The principal arch-itectural features of the build-ing have been retained and anew roof garden created.The flats are on the marketfor between £140,000 and£380,000, reflecting thegrowing interest in ‘cityliving’ in Newcastle.

The scheme was devisedby local architect, Alan J.

Smith, who saw that, withcare and creativity, differentuses could be fitted into theexisting space. It received£1.7 million in funding fromEnglish Partnerships throughOne NorthEast, the RegionalDevelopment Agency andmember of the GraingerTown Partnership.

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e Edinburgh Old Town: Regeneration through heritage

The medieval part of Edin-burgh was in such a poorstate that, up until the 1970s,wholesale redevelopmentseemed the only answer.However a growing realisationof the value of heritage andthe importance of tourism ledto a strategy to regeneratethe area. Now with more

visitor attractions, a greatlyimproved public realm, a

population that has dou-bled, and the new ScottishParliament, the Old Townhas achieved WorldHeritage Site status and isattracting significantamounts of privateinvestment.

1312

s part of the overall process of regeneratingNewcastle city centre, Grainger Town now

has its own Project Team to help guideits regeneration. They understand the specialproblems of historic areas and Listed buildings

Some buildings, particularly along Grey Street,Mosley Street and Collingwood Street, doprovide space for large institutional users, but themajority are much more suitable for the widemix of small-scale uses – small offices, specialistshops, restaurants, cafes, flats or houses aboveshops – which are now found in many successfulcity centres. Each of these has its own specialfactors for success. Some buildings just requireupgrading; others may need conversion to ‘new’uses, but often these could be remarkably similarto what they were originally built for.

The Grainger Town Project Team can pro-vide information and a wide range of specialistadvice (see pages 25-29.) Financial assistance isalso available and has been tailored to suit theparticular problems that need to be overcome(See page 31.) Often, however, the biggestchange required is in the development approachthat needs to be taken. In historic areas it is theentrepreneurial developers, and those whounderstand the long term value of quality anddistinctiveness, who usually lead the way, as manyof the examples in this handbook illustrate.

In most cases doing things well costs littlemore than doing them badly, but converting andmaintaining a Listed building does require morecare and attention to detail than an ordinary one,

A

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

London, Covent Garden:A magnet for visitors

After the old fruit andvegetable market moved outof Covent Garden in the1970s, the cheap emptyspace was taken over bysmall businesses and inde-pendent shops. Theseattracted growing numbers ofvisitors and helped providecustomers for new galleries,wine bars and restaurants.Entertainers started perform-ing in front of St. Paul’sChurch. Temporary commu-nity gardens were created on

development sites. CouttsBank moved into new officesbehind a Georgian facade,and new investment wasdrawn in as the area beganto develop a lively characterof its own.

While, more recently,established retail chains havebegun to move in, the areastill retains a distinctivevitality that makes it a mag-net for visitors from bothhome and abroad. The narketbuildings remain a focus ofactivity and the local prop-erty market is buoyant.

1514and can be more expensive. Furthermore returns can belower, particularly for offices, where older buildings oftencontain more unlettable space than modern ones, or lackfacilities that some tenants require, such as car parking,disabled access or air conditioning. However, since a Listedbuilding cannot normally be demolished and the siteredeveloped, the best return will usually come from findinga use that fits the building well.

t is widely believed in the property market that Listedcommercial buildings perform less well financially thanunlisted ones, and they remain unpopular with institu-

tional investors. Research by Cambridge University1

provides some support for this, concluding that there is aone-time loss of value at the time of listing, although this isless marked in Conservation Areas. Uncertainty aboutwhat alterations might be permitted and potential delays inobtaining permissions may also lower values. However,studies by the Investment Property Databank2 show thatover a longer period (1980-1995) the Listed office build-ings in their database outperformed unlisted buildings interms of their total annual return, although over shorterperiods this was not necessarily so. This study also ex-cluded the effect of maintenance costs which are usuallyborne by the occupier not the owner.

Further research by the University of Reading and DTZDebenham Thorpe on The Value of Conservation? 3 con-cludes that the economic benefits of conservation are feltthroughout a wider area. The repair of Listed buildingstends to add value to adjoining properties. Repairs andimprovements to conservation areas attract more peopleto live and do business there. Furthermore well maintained

76-80 Clayton Street

Flats fit particularly well intothe upper floors of GraingerTown because that is whatmany of the buildings wereoriginally designed for. Thescheme for 76-80 ClaytonStreet is a good example.The vacant space aboveground floor shops in threeGrade II Listed buildings hasbeen converted into 12 flatsby Home Housing Associa-tion. The flats are served by aseparate entrance at the rearwhich gives access to a firstfloor roof-terrace. They arelet at market rent (around£350 per month).

Care has been taken toretain as much of the originalbuildings as possible.Loadbearing walls have beenretained along with stair-cases, windows and, wherepossible, doors. The overallG

rain

gerT

own

grow

n in

cost was approximately£54,000 per unit, but grantswere obtained from threepublic sector sources.Obtaining all the necessarypermissions and consentstook time, but the GraingerTown Project Team helpedsmooth the way. The flats arenow fully let to a variety oftenants, including profession-als, overseas students andlocal business people.

I

Corner of Clayton Street andWestgate Road showing thecontrast between Grainger’sarchitecture and theVictorian exubranceof the cornerbuildings

The imaginative marketingcampaign of ‘Glasgow’s MilesBetter’ is credited withchanging the city’s image, andit has won a number ofEuropean awards anddistinctions. However some

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

1716

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Bilbao: restoring the heart of the city

Once known as a decaying steeltown with huge redundantdocks, Bilbao has recentlyreasserted its position as theleading city of the BasqueCountry. Regeneration startedwith the restoration of the OldTown’s historic shopping streets,and has continued with astylishly designed metro systemand the Guggenheim Museum,which has put it on a worldmap. It is a place to be proud ofonce more.

of the success is also due toentrepreneurial developerswho renovated old buildingsfor housing and other uses,such as hotels and cafes, withmemorable names likeBabbity Bowster.

Central ExchangeBuildings

Central Exchange Buildingsat the very heart of Newcas-tle right next to Grey’sMonument originally con-tained a magnificent hall,which Richard Graingerintended to be a CornExchange. Instead it becamea successful newsroom, artgallery and meeting place,but after a disastrous fire in1901 it was converted into atiled arcade with officesabove.

However because of itsmany changes in level, it wasnever ideal for offices and thetop two floors have remainedempty for 5 years. MillerHomes is now converting this

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

in

space into 14 maisonettesalong with managed work-space above part of thearcade. The scheme is thefirst to attract a major privatehousebuilder into the areaand provides a long-termsolution for an importantbuilding.

historic areas encourage visitors, bringing money into the areaand so increasing values. This view is also strongly supportedby English Partnerships and English Heritage.

hus while individual commercial buildings or sites maysuffer a short-term loss in value when they are listed,

that loss can be recouped over the longer term if theyform part of an area whose special character can be devel-oped and exploited. Experience shows that the restorationof a historic area in a central location raises its appeal andliveliness, and leads to increasing values over time. InGrainger Town, everyone can benefit from the special legacyof the past, which makes the area unique and potentiallyvaluable. But this extra value will only be achieved if stand-ards are raised in the whole area.

Everyone, particularly property owners and occupiersmust play their part. The public sector is making a majorcontribution. It is investing over £40 million in the area (with£25 million coming from English Partnerships, £11 millionfrom the Single Regeneration Budget £2 million from New-castle City Council and £1.75 million from English Heritageand £250,000 from Tyneside Training and Enterprise Coun-cil). It is upgrading the public spaces and the overall environ-ment, and it is making available expertise and support to helpproperty owners and occupiers take advantage of the oppor-tunities that the regeneration of Grainger Town now brings.

T

1. K. Scanlon et al, The Listing of Buildings: Its Effect onValue. English Heritage, The Department of NationalHeritage and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors,1994.

2. Investment Property Databank, The investmentperformance of listed buildings. Royal Institution ofChartered Surveyors and English Heritage, 1993, up-dated1994, 1995, and 1996.

3. G. Allison et al, The Value of Conservation? Departmentof National Heritage, English Heritage and RoyalInstitution of Chartered Surveyors, 1996.

Glasgow, Merchant CityThe importance of entrepreneurial developers

The view up Clayton Street, virtually all of which was developed by Grainger

‘People are drawn to attractivesustainable environments asplaces to invest and as places tolive and work… A high qualityenvironment makes goodbusiness sense. It will createvalue and attract investment’Space for Growth, English Partnerships, 1999.

Manchester, WhitworthStreet Corridor:A desirable place to live

Several thousand of apart-ments have been created inwhat were previously oldwarehouses to make apopular new residentialquarter in the heart ofManchester. Initial projectswere carried out by housingassociations and they werefollowed by volume housebuilders. However, it is localspecialist developers that havehad the greatest successthrough their stylish designs,imaginative marketing effortsand attention to detail.

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

1918

ow that the Quayside has been regenerated withsuch success, the next stage in bringing Newcastlecity centre up to the standard of a major Euro-

pean regional capital is to focus on Grainger Town. TheGrainger Town Partnership has been established to channelthe public sector partners’ contributions into the area andto take the lead in implementing the agreed strategy for thearea.

The main elements of the strategy for Grainger Town,up to 2003, are:

Extending the retail core south of the main shoppingarea

Creating residential units above shops in Grainger Streetand Clayton Street

Strengthening the office core around Grey Street,Mosley Street and Collingwood Street

Introducing corridors of leisure activities

Upgrading the quality of public spaces and theenvironment.

Improving accessibility and substantially reducingthrough traffic.

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

in

The Former Bankof England

The former Bank of Englandbuilding, described inPevsner as ‘a grand palazzo’,is the most imposing buildingon the west side of GreyStreet. It is Grade II* Listedand has a spectacular row ofCorinthian columns in itsfacade.

The Bank moved out in1971 to smaller premisesnearby. The building contin-ued to be partially occupieduntil it was bought in 1996by Thomas Chu, a localentrepreneurial developerwho wished to make it alandmark once again. It wasin comparatively goodcondition, but neededrefurbishment to suit theneeds of different tenants.The ground floor has be-come a stylish brasserie. (Seepage 10.) The upper floors

are now occupied by CouttsBank, Knight Frank propertyconsultants and a recruit-ment agency. Thomas Chu’sown offices are on the topfloor in converted roof space.

The project took almosttwo years to complete, andrequired constant liaison withthe Grainger Town ProjectTeam, the City Council andEnglish Heritage. However itis now considered a resound-ing success. All the occu-pants are delighted to be insuch a prestigious building ina splendid location. What ismore Thomas Chu is alreadyengaged in restoring otherListed buildings in GraingerTown.

future N

‘I am proud to have this landmarkbuilding in my portfolio. Restoring ithas at times been a long and difficultprocess, but now that it is complete, ithas all been worthwhile’Thomas Chu, Owner

plansfor the

St John’s Church on the corner ofWestgate Road and Grainger Street - areminder of the areas Medieval history

20 21

Several flagship schemes are already transforming the area:

The former Bank of England building and the Metro-politan (See pages 10 and 18)

The former Binns store (See opposite)

The Red Box scheme in the old Post Office (See page 12)

Repaving the area around Grey’s Monument (See page 22)

The International Centre for Life (just outside the area).

Particular emphasis is now being put on:

Upgrading office space, especially for small and me-dium-sized firms

Encouraging ‘city centre living’ and bringing upperfloors back into use through Living Over The Shopschemes

Improving the environment to a high quality

Resolving car parking difficulties

Repairing run-down buildings, including shopfrontimprovements

Providing tailor-made assistance and grants to encour-age private sector investment.

Former Binns Store

Just as the closure in 1995 ofBinns department store onthe corner of Market Streetand Grainger Street was ahuge blow to Grainger Town,so its refurbishment forfashion outlets is a potentsign of recovery. The £10million first phase of thedevelopment by CommercialDevelopment Projects Ltd.has created 60,000 sq. ft. ofretailing. This was completedin March 1999 and has beenlet to Oasis, Karen Millen,Jigsaw and Envy. Phase Two isplanned for completion in2000 and will include furtherretail units in Grainger Street

‘What we are looking atis the Bond Street ofNewcastle.’James Marshall, developer

Careful shopfront design cancreate a contemporary feel

while respecting andindeed enhancing the

original building

as well as three restaurantson Bigg Market.

Over the years theinterior had been greatlyaltered since it was originallybuilt. The new scheme hasinserted modern retailingspace behind the Grade IIListed facades. It illustratesthat, with imagination andskill, the needs of contempo-rary users can be met whilestill respecting the quality ofthe existing buildings andtownscape – thus achievingthe best of both worlds.

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

inW

hat

is p

ossi

ble

Prague:A delightful place to stroll in

Following UNESCO’s desig-nation of the historic core ofPrague as a World Heritagesite, the municipality startedrestoring the pavements withpatterned sets. Pedestriansnow have priority, and thereis excellent public transport,making it a wonderful city tostroll around. Many of thebuildings and public spaceshave also been restored, anda series of festivals keeps thecentre popular with touristsand local people all yearround. A large amount offoreign investment – at-tracted in part by theunspoiled heritage – has nowstarted to flow into the‘Golden City’.

The International Centre for Lifeon the edge of Grainger Town

designed by Terry Farrell

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

in

2322

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Once Sweden’s great ship-building city, now betterknown as the headquarters ofVolvo, Gothenburg has bothbroadened its attractions forbusiness visitors and encour-aged people to live in itscentre once more. This hasgone beyond just a focus on

Gothenburg: A change of attitude

buildings. In a countrywhich until recently frownedon drinking, the city nowprovides splendid pavementcafes on streets that are keptmeticulously clean and caredfor, making it much morepleasant to visit.

Edinburgh New Town: An attractive identity

This is a strategy that will benefit both Newcastle as awhole and individuals who invest, live or do business in thearea. Its aim is to make the most of Grainger Town’smagnificent buildings and streets – medieval, classical,Victorian and modern – to create a lively and distinctivequarter of the city that people will feel proud of and beattracted to. This in turn requires that the improvementsthat are made both respect the exceptional architecturalquality of the area, and provide facilities which are suitablefor a lively mix of present day activities.

hese two aspects must be carefully balanced. Newinvestment is required and imaginative projects willalways be welcome. But while good quality modern

design can enhance a historic area, all new developmentmust be judged within the context of its surroundings andits effect on the area as a whole.

Making the most of Grainger Town is, therefore, ajoint enterprise. While the public sector can take the lead,private investors and existing property owners must alsoplay their parts. Grainger Town, as one of the least knownareas of great quality in a city centre, represents an out-standing opportunity for investment, but its full potentialcan only be achieved by working together to ensure that itsspecial character is retained and enhanced.

T

Improving ThePublic Realm

A public realm strategy forGrainger Town was preparedin 1998 by landscapearchitects Gillespies. Thiscalled for ‘improved links’,especially pedestrian routes,both within Grainger Townand with other parts of thecity, and ‘improved keystreets and spaces’. Upgrad-ing the area around Grey’sMonument (‘arguably themost important public openspace in Newcastle’) wasrecommended as an immedi-ate demonstration project.

Detailed designs were

undertaken by the CityCouncil’s EngineeringServices in conjunction withGillespies, and the first phaseis now complete. The aim isto create a high qualitypedestrian-priority precinctthat encourages appreciationof the surrounding architec-ture, makes walking a pleas-ure, improves existing link-ages and helps promotesocial and civic activity. Thisis a first step in bringing thequality of the public realm inGrainger Town up to thestandards found in Europe –where it has long beenrecognised that streets arethe ‘living places’ of cities.

Built at the end of the 18thcentury as a residential area,the New Town quicklybecame Edinburgh’s leadingcommercial quarter.

Although some of the largerlegal and financial firms haverecently moved out tomodern office buildings,many of the smaller firms stillprefer the distinctive identityof the Georgian buildingsand their elegant rooms.

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Bath: A thriving inheritance

Founded by the Romans,Bath was relaunched as afashionable spa in the 18th

century, and contains awealth of Georgian buildings.Despite being later eclipsedby seaside resorts andsuffering extensive war-timebombing, the city centre hascarefully retained andenhanced its elegant charac-ter. It now has many historicbuildings open to the publicand draws huge numbers ofvisitors from all over theworld. It is also a thrivingshopping centre and verypopular place to live.

2524

he Grainger Town Project Team has a staff of 14professionals, based at Central Exchange Buildings inGrainger Street, who can provide advice and assistance

on all aspects of the regeneration of Grainger Town,including how to deal with the problems and complexitiesof historic buildings. The Project Team is in close contactwith the other agencies that are working in partnership toimprove Newcastle city centre, including:

Newcastle City CouncilOne Northeast (the Regional Development Agencywhich has taken over English Partnerships’ localresponsibilities)English HeritageTyneside Training and Enterprise Council

It is therefore the natural first port of call for all mattersconcerning investment or doing business in GraingerTown. The contact address is given on the back cover ofthis handbook.

expertisefinding

help and

T

The main staircaseof the newly refurbishedUnion Rooms

An important part ofGrainger Town’s characteris the contrast betweenthe grand classicalstreets and narrowmedieval alleys

27

he Project Team is available to help everyone con-cerned with Grainger Town, including propertyowners and occupiers and their professional

advisers, as well as those who are interested in any ofthe many investment or business opportunities that thearea now offers. Its aim is to help make GraingerTown a distinctive, dynamic and attractive quarterwhich benefits to the full from its historic environ-ment. The team’s philosophy is to do all it can toassist those with projects that will contribute to thisaim, by working constructively with them to ensurethat their schemes respect the unique heritage of thearea as well as achieve adequate financial returns, andby helping them cope with the extra requirements ofListed buildings and Conservation Areas.

Helsinki: Encouraging smallenterprise

Helsinki is a comparativelyisolated city that knows thevalue of enterprise andcommunication. Finland’smountainous terrain andscattered towns helped Nokiabecome the pioneer of themobile phone industry.

Continued innovation isbeing encouraged through anetwork of business incuba-tors that provide workspacefor small firms on flexibleterms backed up with trainingand advice. They includeschemes like Helsinki’s DesignVillage which helps ensurethat new graduates canremain in the city anddevelop business there.W

hat

is p

ossi

ble

26

T

AboAboAboAboAbove:ve:ve:ve:ve: The AssemblyRooms on Fenkle Street,a Grade II* Listedbuilding dating from 1776

BeloBeloBeloBeloBelow:w:w:w:w: The Tyne Theatreand Opera House onWestgate Road from 1867,built as a rival to theRoyal Theatre

Photograph andPhotograph andPhotograph andPhotograph andPhotograph anddrawing opposite:drawing opposite:drawing opposite:drawing opposite:drawing opposite: TheRed Box, a development

of flats offices andhousing (see Page 12)

The Grade I Listed Grainger Market which hasbeen the retail heart of the area for 165 years

The Project Team works both by making contact withproperty owners and occupiers in Grainger Town, throughits business and residents’ forums and other contacts, andby welcoming approaches made to it by those with ideasor problems to discuss. The Team:

provides advice to help make projects more acceptablefor planning purposes or for financial support

arranges contacts with appropriate local experts to helpbring in specialist advice

provides information (if available) on local markets,including the local property markets

provides information on government grants and otherforms of assistance (see next section)

acts as an advocate for suitable schemes and helps ‘fast-track’ them through planning and other procedures.

ot all parts of Grainger Town are the same anddifferent standards can apply in different places.High quality modern design can often fit well into a

historic area, and imaginative proposals will always bewelcomed. As this handbook shows, good quality isfundamental to the success of the area as a whole and thisin turn will also determine whether individual investmentsachieve their full potential value. The Project Team willtherefore ensure that Grainger Town’s magnificent heritageis preserved in order to make it a memorable and highlysuccessful area as a whole – for the benefit of all.

N

29

Galen House

This former pharmaceuticalwarehouse on the corner ofLow Friar Street and Dispen-sary Lane was built at theturn of the century. It hasnow been converted into 62furnished apartments afterstanding empty for manyyears. The scheme wasundertaken by CollingwoodProperties and is being let atG

rain

gerT

own

grow

n in

28

market rents by HomeHousing Association. The £2.3million capital costs weresupported by English Partner-ships and the ConservationArea Partnership grantscheme. The architects forthe project, Greenall Winskell,have also been involved inother ‘living over the shop’schemes in Grainger Town.

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

Sheffield, CulturalIndustries Quarter:Encouraging creative firms

A group of redundant indus-trial buildings between therailway station and Sheffieldcity centre have been con-verted into workspace forcreative firms, and are helpingto change the image of a cityonce known only for steel.W

hat

is p

ossi

ble

Bradford’s historic merchantquarter, Little Germany,contains one of the finestcollections of Victorian ware-houses in Britain. Coveringjust 20 acres it includes 83buildings, two thirds of whichare Listed. The buildings,however, no longer suit theneeds of the textile industry,and by the late 1980s much ofthe floor space was vacant andthe area was starting tobecome derelict. It was saidthat there would never be anydemand for space there.

Since that time LittleGermany has been successfullyregenerated. The first step was

a programme of environmentalworks and cosmetic improve-ments to buildings. This wasfollowed by public investmentin a number of buildingconversion schemes whichdemonstrated that there wasindeed a market for the space.Concerted efforts followed topromote Little Germany and togenerate a range of uses toanimate the area and itsbuildings. This promotionincluded attention-grabbingevents (such as the perform-ance pictured above) whichhave certainly raised the profileof this once neglected historicquarter.

Bradford, Little Germany:A historic commercial quarter

Partnerships between theCity Council and local busi-nesses have led to the creationof many new jobs in a range ofbusiness including recordingstudios, an arts cinema, restau-rants and cafes. The projecttook over ten years to com-plete, but it has succeeded increating an entirely new quar-ter in Sheffield in and removinga major source of blight.

Cross House, a landmarkat the junction ofWestgate Road andFenkle Street.

Wha

t is

pos

sibl

e

3130

wide range of grants are available to assist thoseoperating in or investing in Grainger Town.

These include:

The Office Investment Programme: Grant aidtowards office improvements in targeted commercialstreetsSource:Source:Source:Source:Source: English Partnerships.Grainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger Tooooown Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact: Alastair Haworth (Tel: 0191 269 9105)

Living Over The Shop Programme: Gap funding toassist the conversion of vacant upper floors into housingSource: Source: Source: Source: Source: Single Regeneration Budget.Grainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger Tooooown Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact: Alastair Haworth (Tel: 0191 269 9105)

Heritage Economic Regeneration Programme:Percentage grant aid to assist the traditional repair andconservation of targeted Buildings at RiskSources:Sources:Sources:Sources:Sources: Newcastle City Council, English Heritage.Grainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger Tooooown Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact: David Lovie (Tel: 0191 269 9114)

Shopfront Improvement Programme: Percentagegrant aid towards removing canopies and recreatingtraditional or other well designed shopfrontsSource: Source: Source: Source: Source: Single Regeneration Budget.Grainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger Tooooown Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact: Jill Young (Tel: 0191 269 9103)

Business Support Programme: Finance may be avail-able for start-up or established businesses in GraingerTown and for relocations to the areaSources: Sources: Sources: Sources: Sources: Single Regeneration Budget, EU Funding.Grainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger Tooooown Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact: Kari Kiernan (Tel: 0191 269 9113)

Arts and Culture Programme: Funding for individualartists and cultural organisations in Grainger TownSource: Source: Source: Source: Source: Single Regeneration Budget.Grainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger TGrainger Tooooown Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact:wn Contact: Ned Buick (Tel: 0191 269 9111)

Financial support and other assistance may also beavailable from other sources. The Grainger Town ProjectTeam can provide information and advice on these.

availablegrant

schemes

A

Illustrations and photographs

Turners Building

Project North East is one ofthe UK’s pioneering Enter-prise Agencies with a trackrecord of providing work-space and services to smallfirms. Since 1989 it has beenrefurbishing premises aroundPink Lane and now has some45,000 sq. ft. of space,accommodating 50 busi-nesses.

Turners Building, 7-15Pink Lane although notListed, is a fine 6-storeyVictorian brick building. Itwas vacant and in poorcondition and Project NorthEast has raised £750,000 ingrants and loans to refurbishthe space. Using local arch-itects and contractors it hascreated 27 units for creativebusinesses. Each unit hasinternet access and formspart of one of Britain’s firsturban televillages. Tenantssuch as Enigma Interactive, amulti-media and internetsolutions company, aredelighted with the results.

Project North East’sRichard Clark has long beenconvinced that there isstrong demand for space inthe area from small busi-

nesses that appreciate theidentity that comes fromoperating in a historic citycentre. The Turners Buildingproject shows that he hasnow convinced others,including a major bank, tosupport him. It has takenmuch time and effort, and anunconventional – or entre-preneurial – approach todevelopment, but it isachieving impressive results.

‘I needed an open plan office that wasfairly prestigious due to the type of clientswe attract… I think we will benefitfrom being part of a thriving communityof media businesses based here’Stephen Grainger, M.D. Enigma Interactive.

Barcelona:A shining example

Barcelona suffered for yearsfrom being seen as a grey andindustrial city, famous only forits football team. This has allchanged. Environmentalimprovements – imaginativelandscaping of neglected sites,restoring buildings and facades,introducing and co-ordinatingcolour schemes and promotionof public art – started thetransformation through a long-term campaign Barcelona MakeYourself Look Pretty, which alsoincluded a series of activities tosustain public interest inimproving the city.

Gra

inge

rTow

ngr

own

in

As Barcelona’s image hasrisen, so too has privateinvestment which has enabledlarger projects, including theOlympic Games, to go ahead.Now the city is seen ascolourful and dynamic, and ashining example of successfulurban regeneration.

Cover: All photographs URBED, Illustration – David Rudlin URBED Inside Cover: All photographs URBED except view down Grey Street and photograph of Councillor Flynn – (CityRepro, City of Newcastle upon Tyne), Illustration – David Rudlin URBED Page 2/3: Map based upon Ordnance Survey base plan, arial photograph courtesy Air Images, Domephotograph – (City Repro, City of Newcastle upon Tyne), photograph bottom – (URBED) Page 4/5: Engraving – (Tyne and Wear Museums Service), photograph Bath – URBED, BiggMarket Engraving (Laing Art Gallery), historic photograph of Grainger Street – (Tyne and Wear Museums Service) Page 6/7: Historic artists’ view of Grainger Town – (Tyne and WearMuseums Service), portrait of Richard Grainger courtesy Laing Art Gallery, maps – (Tyne and Wear Museums Service), Leeds photo – URBED, illustration Grey Street – DavidRudlin URBED Page 8/9: Photographs – URBED except The Union Rooms – Lawrence Tring Architects Page 10/11: Dome photo courtesy – (City Repro, City of Newcastle uponTyne), Metropolitan Bar – Neil Blackburn, Temple Bar and clock – URBED Page 12/13: Red Box photographs – Alan J Smith Partnership, Page 13 photographs – URBED, Edinburghillustration – David Rudlin URBED Page 14/15: Covent Garden photograph – GRE Properties, Illustration – David Rudlin URBED Page 16/17: All photographs – URBED except Glasgow– Charlie Baker and the inside of the Arcade (City Repro, City of Newcastle upon Tyne) Page 18/19: Photographs – URBED except Manchester Whitworth Street – Charlie BakerPage 20/21: Photographs – URBED Page 22/23: Axonometric – Gillespies, photographs and illustration – URBED Page 24/25: Photographs – URBED except staircase – ( Lawrence TringArchitects) Page 27/28: Photographs – URBED except Red Box illustration and photo – Alan J Smith Partnership Page 29/30: Photographs – URBED except Little Germany – CharlieBaker Page 31/32: Photographs – URBED Back cover: Photographs – URBED except Grainger Town Team photograph – (City Repro, City of Newcastle upon Tyne)

For further information on all aspects ofGrainger Town please contact ChrisOldershaw at the Grainger Town Projectaddress below.

In conjunction with this handbook theGrainger Town Partnership is publishing aseries of detailed guides (available from theaddress below) on ways of achieving qualityin a historic area. The first guide, currentlyunder production, is:

Grainger Town Shopfront Guide

Other planned guides include:Grainger Market Stalls ImprovementGrainger Town Character AssessmentCare and Conservation of HistoricBuildingsOwning a Historic BuildingReuse and Refurbishment of HistoricBuildings

The Grainger Town ProjectFirst Floor,

Central Exchange Buildings128 Grainger Street,Newcastle-upon-Tyne

NE1 5AF

tel: 0191 261 9000fax: 0191 230 3770

cont

act

CreditsThis handbook was commissioned by theGrainger Town Partnership and has been

researched, written and designed by URBED(Urban and Economic Development Group). Thepreparation of the handbook has been guidedby a steering group consisting of David Lovie

(Grainger Town Heritage Officer), ChrisOldershaw (Grainger Town Project Director),Graham Bell (North East Civic Trust), ColinHaylock (Newcastle City Council) and John

Edwards (English Heritage).

The handbook has been researched andwritten by Christopher Cadell of URBED,

assisted by Nicholas Falk with design andillustration by David Rudlin. Preprint by M15

Design. Printed by Communique.

URBED: 19 Store Street, London, WC1E 7DH,tel. 0171 436 8050 fax. 0171 436 8083

e - urbed@urbed.co.uk

Point of

Price £5.00