People have been asked for their views on new visions for how Newcastle Quayside could look in the future.
NE1, the city centre business improvement district company, has published a series of images created by North East architects, in collaboration with the Danish architects Gehl, showing pontoons, light installations and public art. The "sketches" of how the Quayside could look have been created as a starting point to illustrate concepts and themes, and now NE1 wants to people to give their views as part of a second wave of consultations.
Following an initial consultation in January, key themes emerged which were explored in more depth in a workshop attended by businesses, residents, and key stakeholders in February. These themes are "greening the Quayside, connecting the Quayside to the city, history and heritage, lighting and activating the area, as well as making more of the river Tyne itself with activations on and by the water".
Read more: Major plans to develop Newcastle's Quayside take a step forward
Developing the Quayside was one NE1’s key pledges when it successfully campaigned for its renewal in 2019 and now it says it wants to see a “bold, visionary future for Newcastle’s iconic Quayside”. The organisation has launched a fresh online survey in which people can answer a series of questions and pick the most appealing ideas, as well as make suggestions as to how they could benefit the wider community.
The deadline for submissions is April 15. Survey responses will be compiled and reported to stakeholders in May, along with recommendations.
The first trials of the selected concepts could be in place as early as this summer with a vision for the future of the Quayside mapped out for years to come.
Stephen Patterson, chief executive of NE1 Ltd said: “It is a hugely exciting time for the Quayside and the city. Over £850m worth of development is earmarked for both sides of the river Tyne, with plans to build homes for 5,000 new residents and an estimated six million extra visitors to the area each year. Groundwork has already started on a number of these projects.
“Working closely with all major stakeholders and the public we want to seize the opportunity that this change and investment brings by developing a collective vision, an ambitious plan for the area for years to come, one that is bold and keeps the public realm in focus. This is not NE1’s vision for the iconic Quayside, it belongs to everyone.
“Working together we want to create exciting, lively, and sustainable public spaces between all the new buildings and development. With the public’s involvement and collaboration, as a city we can collectively decide what we want for our Quayside now and into the future.”
The survey can be completed via the link: https://new.maptionnaire.com/q/9ko3j7bov8di
