Newcastle: Working towards the sweet life

The redevelopment of a former toffee factory is a symbol of the regeneration that is occurring in city of Newcastle. Estates Review takes a look at what's going ahead on the scheme

With environmental and economic pressures forcing use to look at how we re-use and regenerate existing developments, rather than start from scratch, developers in the North East are showcasing a renovation project to turn a former factory into a centre for new business as a model of what is possible in the reuse of redundant industrial buildings.

Located in Newcastle’s Lower Ouseburn Valley, the former Maynard’s Toffee Factory is currently a derelict brownfield site on the eastern edge of the city. An ambitious restoration project, expected to cost six million pounds, will transform the building into a 2,600 sqm facility, comprising of 25 office units, central meeting area and courtyard. Once complete, it is hoped that the renovated factory will become the home to around 12 businesses and hopefully lead to a new creative industry being founded in the area.

As part of considerations around the refurbishment of the factory, the development company, 1NG, has been keen to keep a hold of the sense of history and cultural link in its design for the scheme. As such key parts of the building will be maintained, including the main chimney which is now considered a local landmark. This will be matched on other developments in the area, meaning that this part of the city will continue to reflect Newcastle’s industrial and manufacturing heritage.  

The project is being brought about on behalf of the city council and One North East. Around £3m of the funding for the project will come from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with the rest coming from the council and One North East. David Cramond, director of Capital Development at One North East, said: “The Toffee Factory will be a major addition to the cluster of creative businesses that are already making the Ouseburn Valley a unique investment location.”

The Toffee Factory forms the first part of wider plans to boost the Lower Ouseburn area. Under the East Quayside and Ouseburn Estuary Development Framework, there are plans to rejuvenate the area into an urban village, with new developments comprising of 15,000 sqm of leisure and commercial space as well as around 300 residential properties. Peter McIntyre, 1NG director of planning and programme management, said: “This scheme is critical for the next phase of the regeneration of Ouseburn. Over the past 10 years there has been development at the northern end [of the city] and we are now concentrating on the southern end near the Tyne. This will be the first of many projects and should be a catalyst for private-sector development in the area.”

The project can be seen not only as a test for interest in Newcastle as a business location, but for the willingness for development to get going in the city. While development continued in the city during the recession, a large quantity of it has been driven by the council through the 1NG development company and with the help of regional development agency, One North East.

Arguably by moving against the general trend of shutting down or stalling developments, the council has secured Newcastle a strong footing on the path to economic recovery. Other key developments that have gone ahead have been the expansion of Newcastle’s Science City as a centre of research and development, and the promotion of key private sector infrastructure projects such as the redevelopment of the Haymarket Metro station.
  
The ERDF has been also been a keen driving force for regeneration in the area. As part of the 2007-13 programme, over £300m will be brought into the North East to promote business and enterprise. In all, it is hoped this will safe guard up to 28,000 jobs, allow 3,000 new businesses to develop and increase productivity in the area by over £1bn. As such, though economic conditions are not ideal, opportunity for growth is now ripe in the city and the surrounding area.