Trinity Square

A massive pre-let by Spenhill of student accommodation at its Trinity Square development in Gateshead to Northumbria University, is the biggest in the UK in the past 18 months.

Derek Nesbitt, director student housing at DTZ, letting agents for Spenhill, said Northumbria University would be taking a 30-year lease on the building: “It is absolutely fantastic and has the highest specification of any student accommodation outside London.  The building will comprise 346,685 sq ft (32,207 sq m) and it will have a fabulous student hub of 13,988 sq ft (1,299 sq m) for leisure activities including an external games and event area.”

The announcement is another major milestone in the £150 million Trinity Square development. Northumbria University has reached agreement jointly with Gateshead Council and Spenhill, the regeneration subsidiary of Tesco, to establish the brand new, high-quality student accommodation in the heart of Gateshead’s redeveloped town centre.

This agreement fulfils a key part of the Spenhill proposal, which will bring almost 1,000 of the university’s 36,000 students – who hail from more than 130 nations – to a revitalised Gateshead centre, just minutes from the attractions of Gateshead Quays and with easy access to central Newcastle upon Tyne.

Spenhill received planning permission from Gateshead Council’s planning and development committee for the £150 million development at Trinity Square in Gateshead in November last year.  The scheme is one of the few UK town centre developments that are actually progressing in the current economic climate.

Dan Kent, retail director at Savills, the letting agent for the retail and leisure element at Gateshead, said: “With the entire town centre being completely regenerated, the Spenhill development is currently the most significant mixed-use scheme of its kind outside of London.  The retail and leisure element will add a new lease of life to the town, while the student accommodation will be a great boost to its economy.”

Spenhill’s development manager, Graham Haydon-White, said: “Spenhill is delighted to be investing in this state-of-the-art accommodation for Northumbria University at the heart of the Trinity Square development. It will significantly add to the vibrancy of the town centre, as well as bringing a major boost to the economy of Gateshead.  We believe that Trinity Square will act as a catalyst for future growth and employment in the area.  Enabling works have already started on site.”

Northumbria University’s vice-chancellor and chief executive, Professor Andrew Wathey, said: “We are investing in quality accommodation for the benefit of our students but also bridging the river, extending our reach across the Newcastle-Gateshead area, to embed university life and activity close to the internationally visible cultural attractions on Gateshead Quays.

“This is a very exciting project for the university.  Partnership working of this kind marks the contribution a university can make to the economic, cultural and social well-being of an area.”

The Northumbria University complex will take its place on the urban skyline – where a multi-storey car park made famous by the Michael Caine movie “Get Carter” once stood.  Sitting above planned retail and urban amenities which will transform Gateshead town centre, the 993 bedroom development is due to open in 2014.

The standard of accommodation will be high, with exercise and leisure facilities complementing en-suite study bedrooms and attractive socials spaces.  The building has been designed by award-winning architects 3DReid.  It will be built in eight separate blocks, with entry through a student hub, adjacent to which, a paved plaza will accommodate large numbers of students.  The plaza itself is next to an all weather sports pitch along the northern edge of a roof terrace – which at 125,939 sq ft (11,700 sq m) is almost twice the size of St James’s Park, home of Newcastle United.  A “green” roof area will be planted with wild flowers and “brown” roof areas will include timber decking, shrub planting and forms part of a running track within the scheme.

The accommodation will be located right beside Gateshead Interchange, one of the most accessible public transport hubs in Tyne and Wear.  It is also placed within easy access to the University’s City Campus on foot or bicycle over the Tyne and High Level bridges or via Gateshead Quays and the Gateshead Millennium bridge.

Leader of Gateshead Council, Mick Henry, said: “Bringing Northumbria University students to reside in the heart of Gateshead centre will completely change and revitalise the dynamics of our borough.  This is exactly what local residents have been asking for and it’s exactly what will bring further investor confidence, civic pride and a greater boost to the local economy.  We’ve made an important step for Gateshead’s future here and key progress that will strengthen our bid for city status.

“This also signifies the growing partnership working we have with Northumbria University, to work together on a broad range of collaborative programmes designed to support enterprise and innovation and enrich civic life across Gateshead.”

Jonathan Walker, head of member relations at the North East Chamber of Commerce, said its 350 members in Gateshead would welcome the news as it is bringing certainty to the future of the town centre which has been under discussion for a number of years: “It will be a major boost to the town centre, including ambitions to develop a broad ranging economy in the town.  It is great news.”

Jane Farr, Northumbria University, 0191 227 4117 jane,farr@northumbria.ac.uk

Sam Reed, Gateshead Council, 0191 433 2018 samreed@gateshead.gov.uk

Mary Dryden, MDA, for Spenhill, 01670 785000/07850 820251 mary@mda-mpr.com

The Spenhill scheme also includes:

• Over 45 new retail units for high street chains, independent shops and banks, ranging from kiosks of a few hundred sq ft up to 30,000 sq ft with the potential for nearly 200,000 sq ft of new retail space
• Provision for cafes, bars and restaurants
• A new town square
• A Tesco Extra Superstore
• Approximately 28,000 sq ft of office space
• The potential for a 120 bed hotel facing the town square
• Pedestrian links to connect the scheme to the rest of the town centre
• Approximately 700 parking spaces
• New public art work

Northumbria University recently announced a new collaborative programme with BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead.  The collaboration creates a globally recognised learning environment that unites academic research excellence and cutting edge contemporary art practice. It will establish a new Institute of Contemporary Art, directed by a BALTIC Professor and providing full-time PhD opportunities to national and international students.