Partner Article

End of an era

THE remains of two cranes on the former Swan Hunter site on the bank of the Tyne will be demolished using explosives tomorrow.

The demolition comes after the site’s owner North Tyneside Council (NTC) admitted it could not justify the estimated £1.2m cost to re-commission the cranes.

NTC has been asked to provide a licence for the work commissioned by the owners of the cranes and the work will be carried out at 11am by O’Briens Demolition.

No members of the public will be able to have access to the site for the duration of the demolition.

However, there will be limited views of the demolition from various positions on the public bridleway running between Segedunum Museum and Swan Hunter site.

Elected Mayor, Linda Arkley said: “I am very disappointed that we have reached a position where these two cranes – important landmarks for the borough – are being demolished.

“As a council we have done everything we possibly can to retain them, including considering the viability of purchasing them as a continued landmark on the site, or exploring other potential users.

“However, the owners tell us their cost estimate for re-commission is £1.2m. We could not justify the cost at a time when we have to deal with very real and difficult budget priorities that have a direct impact on the lives of our residents.

“The important issue now is that as a council, and with our partners, we do everything we can ensure the regeneration of the North Bank of the Tyne – including the Swan Hunter site- is a driver for future economic success for the whole region.

“There are ambitious plans which will include delivering a new future based on investment around marine engineering and sustainable energy, a learning village – a campus where local universities and colleges contribute to improving the learning and skills of our residents to meet the needs of our business – and a regenerated Wallsend.”

North Tyneside Council bought the 40-acre site Swan Hunter yard, which was in use for shipbuilding for more than 140 years, in a joint venture with regional development agency One North East in September last year.

The partners funded the purchase as a key site that can unlock the successful future development of a 600-hectare site along the river corridor.

North Tyneside Council, One North East and Newcastle City Council, stepped in three years ago - following the completion of the last order at the yard - to develop a strategic approach to the North Bank of the Tyne that ensured the site was an integral part in the region’s economic and employment regeneration.

A Strategic Development Framework Plan for River Tyne North Bank has been developed. This 15-20 year blueprint will be used by all partners in the North Bank project – North Tyneside Council, Newcastle City Council, One North East and the Homes and Communities Agency - to guide the future regeneration of the 600-hectare swathe of land, from Walker in Newcastle to Bull Ring Dock in North Shields.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .