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Discussion starter · #1 ·
A FUTURISTIC £30m business centre on South Shields riverside has been given the go-ahead.
Five hundred jobs will be created after South Tyneside Council's planning committee approved the four-storey, flat-roofed glass building at Harton Staithes.

The complex is to be the regional headquarters for the local authority's strategic partner, BT.

Committee members were told the development will help kick-start the regeneration of South Shields riverside.

Approval was granted despite concern that the building would block views to the riverside.

* What do you think of the BT 'glass house'? Will it transform the riverside, or be a blot on the landscape? E-mail us your views here.

Since a row of terraced shops was demolished in the 1990s, people have had a clear view across the river, but council bosses say the long-term aim has always been to build on the site.

And they have stressed the design of the building incorporates riverside views.

But objector Tony Purvis, of Harbour View, South Shields, said he is also concerned the complex will only have 40 car parking spaces.

He suggested moving the location of the building nearer the Customs House at the Mill Dam, to retain more river views.

He said: "I am very encouraged by the style and the purpose of the building, but what concerns me is the location and the inadequate proposals for car parking."

Veteran Progressive councillor Jim Capstick was unimpressed by the building, which he labelled a "glass house".

Coun Geraldine White, of the Independence Alliance, questioned why the application made no reference to incorporating facilities for the public.

She said: "There was supposed to be a cafe, a restaurant and bar, but there is no mention of that now. Have the plans been changed?"

Rick O'Farrell, the council's head of enterprise and regeneration, said: "Those aspirations remain. We are currently talking to one restaurant about moving to the riverside. This application is just the starting point.

"This is about transforming South Shields into a location for investment, to create new neighbourhoods and, most importantly, bring jobs. It's about kick-starting the regeneration of the borough."


Work is due to start next year on the creation of the New Shore Park, which will incorporate paved areas, new public art and footpaths from the town's Ferry Landing to the Customs House.


 
BT to open Tyneside business centre

British Telecom is to open a 43,000 sq ft business centre for its local government operations headquarters in South Shields, Tynseide.

Having signed a long term agreement with South Tyneside Council this week the building, on the landmark Harton Staithes site, will accommodate BT’s local government operations and could provide Workspace for up to 500 staff.

The lease is subject to planning permission and the satisfactory appointment of a building contractor, but it is anticipated the agreement will be finalised early this year. A 14-and-a-half-year lease will then begin in 2011.

Margie Burdis, BT south Tyneside chief executive, said: “Today’s economic climate is proving to be difficult for many companies, but we are confident that the investment in this new building, will help us to attract other organisations and jobs to the borough of South Tyneside.”

Councillor Iain Malcolm, the leader of South Tyneside Council, said: “Signing this lease marks an important stage in our exciting master plan to transform South Shields riverside. This prestigious building will [bring] hundreds of quality jobs, boosting trade in the town."
http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=297&storycode=3156105&c=1
 
It's amazing how much sway the 'views' hold in the planning process in this region. We've seen it on the Quayside, now in South Shields.

Do you think they give two hoots about blocking people's 'view' when they put up a skyscraper in Manhattan?
They shouldn't to be honest; in planning no-one is entitled to a view. A planning application can not be refused in relation to blocking/destroying views. However if someones view is going to be affected they normally find a material consideration to object against, when in reality it's because of the views.

But objector Tony Purvis, of Harbour View, South Shields, said he is also concerned the complex will only have 40 car parking spaces.

He suggested moving the location of the building nearer the Customs House at the Mill Dam, to retain more river views.
 
It's only 4 floors for god's sake, I can't believe these people. It's impossible to judge the design from that rendering, but this is great news for south shields when you consider how long we've been waiting for regeneration of the harton staiths area.
 
Well it depends, isn't the Tyne Gorge Study adopted in some way? I'm sure there's specific views in that that are protected...
I thought the Tyne Gorge study was only for reference when making decisions and to help developers. I'm sure they couldn't refuse an application because it was suggested the views were of importance in the study? However they could say the scale and massing were inappropriate for its location?
 
why doesn't he use the metro? i guess he doesn't realise the existence of this network is a huge plus point for newcastle.
quite right. town centre location 5 mins from the metro, right next to the ferry. as for carparking, i usually feel multi-storeys elsewhere are better than onsite parking, at least surface carparking.

this scheme looks really promising and of a good design, especially for south shields. i believe it is part of the wider new shore area. let's hope nimbys don't supper this one.
 
These a great designs. The location seams to be the same as the proposed new library, which would mean that idea has bitten the dust. And that protest about the views really is ridiculous. The only views that would be blocked are from the pavement on the other side of the building. It would perhaps block views of the new asda as seen from the river, which is definatively a good thing.
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
These a great designs. The location seams to be the same as the proposed new library, which would mean that idea has bitten the dust. And that protest about the views really is ridiculous. The only views that would be blocked are from the pavement on the other side of the building. It would perhaps block views of the new asda as seen from the river, which is definatively a good thing.
IMO the key view is from the pavement directly opposite, which is totally obscured. As you can see from the image the view appears to be taken from the roundabout - who is going to be standing on roundabout?
 
Does anyone have a location on google maps for this site?

Either way this isn't a bad building at all for South Shields, on the face of it. As ever, the materials are important (the bronze/brown-looking panels will need to be of a reasonably quality), but it's still pretty promising...
 
Does anyone have a location on google maps for this site?

Either way this isn't a bad building at all for South Shields, on the face of it. As ever, the materials are important (the bronze/brown-looking panels will need to be of a reasonably quality), but it's still pretty promising...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=harbour+view,+south+shields&sll=54.975052,-1.51577&sspn=0.090049,0.308647&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Harbour+View,+South+Shields,+Tyne+And+Wear+NE33,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.996423,-1.438447&spn=0.001406,0.004823&t=h&z=18
 
Cheers Ahmed!

Decent spot for a development like this, hopefully it'll kickstart a bit of of decent quality development on the riverside. As the article says, that site was always meant for redevelopment. It's also right next to the city centre so I don't see any need for any extra parking.

Fingers crossed this all goes well for the area!
 
Another obvious transport link is the ferry, which really is a stone's throw away.

A little further towards the mouth of the Tyne is a large new building that was completed but empty at the time I moved from shields last year. It must be about 8 storeys tall, but has managed to get through the planning process by being built at the foot of a steep bank which lessens the impact greatly.
 
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