Member Article

£100 million South Shields regeneration plan gets council approval

The first phase of a £100 million regeneration masterplan to transform South Shields town centre has been approved by South Tyneside Council’s Planning Committee.

The Committee approved an application for a new iconic Central Library and Digital Media Centre on Ferry Street, on the Riverside, as well as for improvements to the adjacent Market Place.

The Council and its development partner, Muse Developments, are due to start work on site in the New Year.

The new building, which will have three floors plus a roof level, will include a library, flexible meeting rooms, exhibition space, an open zone IT suite, a ground floor cafe and a rooftop restaurant.

A new 40-space car park will also be constructed on vacant land on Harton Quays as part of the work.

Further consultation will take place with businesses and market traders over the next few months before work commences.

Lead council member for Regeneration and Economy, Councillor John Anglin, said: “We are delighted that the Planning Committee has given the go-ahead; this is a significant and exciting step forward in our South Shields 365 regeneration masterplan.

“We had some very positive feedback from residents and businesses during the public consultation phase and very soon they will be able to see construction beginning and the plans physically taking shape.

“This project is going to inject new vitality into the town and we anticipate that the Central Library and Digital Media Centre will attract visitors from across the region.”

Development director at Muse Developments, David Wells, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that the planning committee has given the go-ahead for this first phase after a long period of consultation.

“The next step is the tender process to appoint a building contractor with actual work hopefully beginning early next year.

“The development of the new Central Library and Digital Media Centre will create a superb and unique facility for the town whilst the redevelopment of the Market Place will breathe new life into an important South Shields tradition.”

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