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New centre offers boost for North East design sector

PLANS to make the North East an international leader in design and innovation moved a step closer yesterday as work began on a £9.9m flagship development, which could create 7,000 jobs.

The four-storey building will offer 4,800 square meters of purpose built office space for small and expanding companies in the regions growing design industry.

Representatives from Gateshead Council and One North East joined developers Terrace Hill and contractors Tolent to signal the start of construction of the Northern Design Centre at Gateshead’s Baltic Business Quarter.

One North East Chairman Paul Callaghan said: “The Northern Design Centre has been an ambition of the Agency for a number of years and we are delighted to see work starting on what will be the last piece of the jigsaw for the region’s connectors.

“The centre will provide a physical focus for the design agenda in our region as well as providing much-needed specialist accommodation for creative and design-related businesses.”

The building will also boast the fastest and most powerful broadband connectivity in the UK and the representatives believe this make it to be a commercially desirable to companies nationwide which they hope will result in attracting more business and highly skilled individuals to Gateshead.

Councillor Mick Henry, Leader of Gateshead Council said: “The Northern Design Centre is a major part of our plans for Gateshead and the Baltic Business Quarter.

“We believe the Northern Design Centre building could provide exactly the workspace which locally-based knowledge-based companies are crying out for.”

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