Newcastle City Council has unveiled its vision to transform the city centre as part of an ambitious recovery plan.
The £50m City Centre Transformation Programme (CCTP) is a part of the council’s vision to improve the city centre. Included in the plans moving forward is the removak of vehicle traffic from Blackett Street in the heart of the city centre.
The council has already secured over £20m to begin transforming a number of city centre streets this summer. The remaining £30m is expected to be secured through a mix of grant funding and private investment with key partners.
“City centres are changing, and they must adapt to survive as now more people are shopping online and climate change has increased the urgency for cleaner, greener spaces,” said Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Nick Forbes.
“With our partners we have been working on a new vision for the city centre to address those challenges which are now much more acute due to the devastating impact of the pandemic.
“Newcastle is a premier shopping destination with a bright future and we will work with retailers, the Grainger Market, hospitality and all businesses – in the immediate term to reopen safely in COVID secure, socially distanced way and on these plans which will set us on a new path to create a re-energised city centre.
“Getting the right mix of housing, culture and experiences for our residents will be what sets Newcastle apart from other cities, to make it more liveable and greener will be the key to our success.
“We want Newcastle to be an attractive, modern successful city that is carbon neutral by 2030 where children can grow safely and reach their full potential in life – and that is what these plans are all about.”
The council and key partners in the city are asking for the views of residents, businesses and other organisations on the proposals drawn up to achieve these ambitions. There will be a number of opportunities for people to have their say and details of how they can view these proposals and respond at www.newcastle.gov.uk/citycentre
Newcastle City Council has appointed LDA Design as the lead designer for the City Centre Transformation Programme. RivingtonHark has been appointed as placemaking and delivery advisors.
