Spanish revolution underway at Whitley Bay

Wednesday, 21st November 2007

Categories: General News, Latest Research

Spanish revolution underway at Whitley Bay

One NorthEast has bolstered a multi-million pound regeneration project to breathe new life into one of the region's traditional tourist destinations.

Regional development agency Board members, supported by TyneWear Partnership, today approved £2.2m towards the Spanish City Island/Whitley Bay Seafront Regeneration Scheme, raising the total invested in the project to £4.6m.

In its heyday Whitley Bay, in North Tyneside, was the region's destination of choice for holidaymakers and continued to be popular into the 1970s until the popularity of cheap package holidays grew and British seaside holidays declined.

North Tyneside Council's ambitious £60m regeneration scheme, now under way, will completely redevelop the iconic Spanish City Dome, whilst breathing new life into the surrounding area to create a commercial arts and cultural hub with new housing.

Other elements of the scheme include:

• Public realm improvements
• Private sector new build housing/hotel development
• Refurbishment of the Leisure Pool
• Refurbishment of the Playhouse Theatre
• New build Joint Service Centre

It is estimated that the scheme will create 80 new jobs and safeguard a further 27. It will also redevelop five.hectares of brownfield land and lever in over £60m of further public and private sector funding.

The regeneration scheme has been the subject of extensive consultation, resulting in the current proposals, which have a strong focus on improving the quality of place, centred on a culture and tourism-led mixed use development, together with housing. It is due for completion by 2011.

The Spanish City Dome building has been unused for over five years following the decline of the traditional seaside resort and in recent years it has deteriorated significantly through vandalism and lack of investment.
Similarly, the area around the Dome, including Whitley Park, has become tired and run-down.

One NorthEast Acting Director of Regeneration, Ed Rowley, said: "Ensuring Spanish City Island is brought back into social and economic use is essential to create the quality of place so strongly needed to attract visitors back to Whitley Bay.

"I am delighted that the Agency has been able to support this important project which will see one of the region's most beloved iconic buildings restored to its former glory and used, once again, as a magnet attraction to bring people to Whitley Bay."

North Tyneside's elected mayor John Harrison said: "This is an exciting time for Whitley Bay and the funding from One NorthEast is a welcome boost which will bring restoration of the iconic Spanish City Dome a step closer.
"The whole regeneration project has been long awaited and as elected mayor I was given a clear message by the residents of the town and the wider borough that we should get on and bring this site back into use.
"That is what we are doing. The Whitley Park playsite will open before Christmas, detailed plans for the new glass façade for the Playhouse go before our planning committee later this week and work on the inside of the leisure pool and stripping out the Dome building is already underway.
"We have come a long way since the overall scheme was granted outline planning permission in February this year and we are committed to delivering the scheme on time and in budget. After all, the people of North Tyneside and the region have waited long enough."

The scheme also forms part of the Coastal Regeneration Strategy, a detailed strategy for the coastal area of North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

The CRS is aimed at identifying the extent to which tourism impacts on the local economy and the options for future development of the sector as a driver of economic regeneration.

Mr Rowley added: "By regenerating this area of Whitley Bay, we are addressing the decline of the traditional seaside holiday resort by providing new and enhanced leisure and commercial facilities to cater for the modern visitor, the local community and attract new residents.

"We want to encourage new businesses to the area and retain existing businesses and create an environment that people will once again be passionate about."

For more information please contact: Bryn Littleton, press office, One NorthEast on Tel: (0191) 2296713, mobile no: 07717 468918.
e-mail: bryn.littleton@onenortheast.co.uk
or
Jane Morris, Communications Unit, Policy Performance and Communications, North Tyneside Council, 0191 200 6656
jane.morris@northtyneside.gov.uk

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