"State-of-the-art” South Tyneside office hub secures multi-million pound boost

Plans for a new office development in South Tyneside have been given a boost with new multi-million pound investment.

South Tyneside Council has been awarded £3m from the government’s Getting Building Fund to support the creation of a proposed glass-fronted riverside office building in the town.

Situated on former brownfield land in the Harton Quay area of South Shields, The Glassworks will provide 50,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation over five storeys.

Cllr Tracey Dixon, leader of South Tyneside Council, commented: “We’re delighted to have secured this funding through the Government’s Getting Building Fund.

“We hope that The Glassworks will start the transformation of a vacant site into a bustling quarter, attracting new businesses to the town and helping to generate jobs for local people.

“It would be another milestone in our ambitions for South Shields and complement the considerable investment that has already gone into this area.”

The Getting Building Fund - managed in the region by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership - is part of the government’s package of financial support aiming to kickstart the economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Helen Golightly, chief executive of the North East LEP, added: “The Glassworks will be an important new development by South Tyneside Council and an excellent example of the type of project the region needs to help support our recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

“The scheme will build on recent North East LEP investments in the town, including the new South Shields Transport Interchange and Nexus Learning Centre.

“The Getting Building Fund is designed to get major infrastructure projects moving quickly, so we can start to see our economy and employment rates return to pre-COVID levels.”