ouseburn trust
A short history
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Life before the Ouseburn Trust
Formation of the Trust
The Ouseburn Partnership
Ouseburn Milestones
The Trust progresses and evolves
Other Ouseburn Groups
Compiled by Dave Cross from materials originally written by Bob Langley, Lesley Turner, Rick
Anderson, Dale Bolland, Peter Kay and others.
September 2015 - January 2016
Images by John Hipkin, Davey Pearson, Steve Ellwood and others unknown.
The Ouseburn Trust is a Limited Company No 03147853, limited by guarantee, incorporated in
January 1996 and also a Registered Charity, No 1081657, registered in 1995 as a Development
Trust.
The Trust’s initial objectives were to enable growth to continue in the Ouseburn in a way which
involves those who live and work in the valley or the area adjacent to it, and to bring about mixed
developments which honours the history, improves the physical environment, attracts people to
live in the valley, and maintains the presence of small businesses.
A number of significant changes to the social, political and economic environment in which the
Trust operates have occurred over its twenty years to date, to which the Trust has responded
and evolved, and these are outlined below, but the events of the 20 years preceding its formation
provide an interesting background to the Trust’s activities, structure and purpose.
Life before the Ouseburn Trust
During the heights of the Ouseburn Valley’s industrial activity, it was noted for glass making,
pottery, lead mining, lime works and the carriage of goods and resources. The Ouseburn River,
although tidal, was a busy passage for goods to and from Newcastle. The Victoria Tunnel
meanwhile, had carried coal from Spital Tongues directly to the Tyne Quayside, so while passing
through the Valley, its coal did not travel on the Ouseburn.
As the carriage of those goods and resources by water shifted to
other modes and some of the manufacturing industries declined,
many sites in the area became adopted for small scale industry,
including furniture making and motor car repairs. These commercial
uses paid little heed to the former Roman Wall which ran across
the Valley, aligned with the Shields Road bridge, and most of the
Wall has long been lost.
Other commercial activities included sawmills, a flint mill, a
leadworks, slaughterhouses, butchers, glue works and tanners.
The river through the upper valley was enclosed in a culvert
between 1906 and 1910 with the intention of allowing new road
access across the valley and extending the land available for housing
between Shieldfield and Heaton.
Above : Ouseburn at low
tide; showing Cattle
Sanatorium at right,
Maynards Toffee Factory
centre, Ice Factory, left,
Heaney building extreme
left. Ca. 1990.
A summary by Rick Anderson (ca. 2004) “History of the Ouseburn
Trust” begins by quoting a Newcastle City Council report from the
early 1960’s which recognised the dereliction of many abandoned
or neglected properties – many serving as scrap yards, and which
described the valley as suitable “only for secondary industries”.
Some cottages remained occupied on Ouseburn Road north of Crawfords Bridge as late as the
early 1970’s, where now there is a cobbled path and recreational seating area. Three terraces of
housing from the late 18th c. on the east bank, leading to the Cumberland Arms, were replaced by
two blocks of council homes and which were occupied between the 1970s and late 1990s.
View through an arch of the railway viaduct with cottages on Ouseburn Road at the mouth of the culvert,
with Crawfords Bridge in background under the brick piers of Byker Bridge ca.1960
The Start of Byker City Farm
In 1976, Byker City Farm was created as a community project with leadership from Byker
Councillor Jon Davies and others, which aimed to produce food and experience of small-scale
agriculture for the residents of Byker and elsewhere. Its office was in a caravan. (the farm closed
in 2002 and subsequently reopened in 2004 as Ouseburn Farm).
Archive image left : Shows leadworks in centre, the site on which the farm was
created. Above that, the warehouses which will later become Seven Stories, 36
Lime Street studios and the Cluny and the large block running across the upper
centre beyond them is the upper Steenberg’s site. Presumed taken in 1960s
The Tyne & Wear Metro
Much of the upper valley (north of Crawfords Bridge) was cleared at the end of the 1970’s during
the construction of the new viaduct across the Valley to carry the Metro line through Byker. That
was completed in 1982, new paths were created and a handful of young trees were planted on
the bare slopes.
Tentative investment and regeneration in the 1980’s included the construction by NCC of the
Foundry Lane industrial estate, with about 20 small workshop units, and some development of the
John Dobson warehouse at 36 Lime Street into a number of creative workshops, the warehouse
having been bought in 1982 by Michael Mould of Bruvvers Theatre Co.
Right : Early land reclamation works at the mouth of the Ouseburn
Culvert preparatory to constructing the Metro viaduct ca. 1972.
Early community activity
Interest in influencing change in the Ouseburn Valley took
shape through a number of different channels. Local
meetings of the Council’s Sandyford Priority Area Team in
the early 1980s, outlined proposals for a “working group”
comprising local people and which would seek to protect
and promote the local heritage, while charting their
aspirations for future development.
The “Ouseburn Project” was formed in 1988
(chaired by Cllr Norman Povey and including
Cllrs George Allison and Rick Anderson), though
support from some within NCC was in
competition with other priorities (such as the
Grainger Town Project). Instigated by the City’s
Development, Planning & Highways Committee,
its objectives were to identify, protect and
promote heritage in the valley; improve access;
encourage housing in the valley; and, develop
proposals for the future and to involve local
people in producing these outcomes. The
Above : Houses built ca. 1800 on Byker Buildings
Ouseburn Project produced an audit of land use,
(a.k.a. James Place Street) with The Cumberland Arms
published an outline of the area’s heritage assets
at the far end. As seen between the wars.
and drafted the first Ouseburn Regeneration
Strategy. Physical interventions included the
creation of part of the walkway on the east bank
of the lower Ouseburn, and improved signage. Strategic proposals included the adoption of a
“local plan” (to protect heritage and to shape development work, with community involvement)
and the formation of a Trust to seek inward investment. The Ouseburn Project was wound up
once the Development Committee chose not to adopt the strategy.
Tyne and Wear Development Corporation
The Tyne and Wear Development Corporation (TWDC) had been established in 1987 to promote
the wide-area investment and regeneration of the east Quayside, regeneration which was
proposed to be extensive all along the north bank of the Tyne between the City Centre and the
mouth of the Ouseburn.
While the TWDC focussed on large scale business developments along the Tyne, some existing
assets which were less attractive were re-located to the Ouseburn, just outside the TWDC
boundary; this included the Homing Association’s pigeon crees, moved from the East Quayside,
and Shepherd’s Scrap Yard moved from next to St Peters Basin to Ford Street. This led to a
strengthening of the motor repair trade through the low rents and easy recycling of car parts and
disposal of scrap metal.
Left : view from Cluny down the slipway with
Leighton Street rising towards Byker Bank in the
background. ca. 1985. Byker Farm is behind the
fencing
[image found by David Lawson]
The “East Quayside Group” was formed in Oct 1988 out of a concern for the impact of the
TWDC’s proposed East Quayside developments on those living in the adjacent area. It sought to
liase between local people and the TWDC, and to ensure that local communities would benefit
from the proposed developments nearby. Its initial members included Bob Langley (St Nicholas
Cathedral), Ian Falconer (St Silas Church), Father Norman Banks (St Ann’s Church), Colin Carr
(St Dominics Church), Kevin Willis (Christchurch School), Lynn Boyd (NCC Sandyford Priority
Area Team Leader) and others representing local communities. The group saw itself as having “a
consciousness raising” role, assisting people in providing access to the TWDC proposals,
understanding how they impacted on local housing, transport, leisure and employment, and
enabling their voices to be heard in discussions with TWDC.
Together with support from local Councillors, the EQG pressed for better communication
between the TWDC and the local communities. The Group appointed Geoff Kell as Researcher
and Project Coordinator.
The EQG was not as successful in engaging with the TWDC as its members had wished, but they
became more active in engagement with local communities and local Councillors. The group
discussed opportunities to respond to proposals for the lower Ouseburn Valley, sedimentation
and maintaining the river level, future developments and for dealing with accumulated rubbish.
In April 1989, an “East Quayside Monitoring Panel” was established. This aimed to provide local
people and interest groups with an opportunity to engage with the TWDC, whose
encouragement of large scale developments was of concern to local people. Monthly meetings
between the TWDC and EQMP were held, representing local interest groups, initially chaired by
Rick Anderson.
Meanwhile, the EQG continued to develop a campaigning role and initiated projects concerned
with employment, training, traffic, housing, oral history and a range of community engagement
initiatives. From that point, the EQG and the Monitoring Panel met monthly to pursue their
separate, though related, objectives. There was some cross-membership between the two groups
which grew as time went on.
The Newcastle City Council’s “Ouseburn Working Party” was formed in 1989. It reported in March
that year that it aimed “to get to the position where the City Council has the option of setting up
a Development Trust for the Lower Ouseburn Valley”. For a variety of reasons, the
recommendations of that report were not taken any further at this time.
In Feb 1993 the EQG agreed to “pursue an interest in the area since it was adjacent to the
eastern end of the Quayside development” and formed a sub-group to take forward that
ambition. With support from the TWDC’s Community Development Advisor Lin Simmonds, the
EQG undertook to involve all those interested in regeneration of the lower Ouseburn Valley
(incl. residents, businesses, the City Farm & 36 Lime Street). Rick Anderson chaired the East
Quayside Monitoring Panel and was also on the EQG, through which he continued to promote the
proposals for mixed development in the valley, as had been proposed in the 1988 Ouseburn
Strategy Report.
The process received a particular impetus from a large fire at Maynards ‘Toffee Factory’ in the
summer of 1993 (one of several “mysterious Quayside fires”) which rendered the site unsafe, and
contributed to the focus of attention on the risks as well as the potential for changes to the
valley’s neglected infrastructure. The 9 metre high retaining wall along Ouse Street had been
seriously weakened by the incident. The Council at this stage were minded to demolish this and
other unused sites, but representations to the City’s Development Committee by members of
the EQG and others, putting forward their hopes for a mixed regeneration of the Valley, and
reporting the interest of Entrust in the site, contributed to the prevention of its demolition.
First steps in establishing a Development Trust
In Sept 1993, Rick Anderson mooted the formation of a steering group, to explore the potential
for a Development Trust.
That November, an open forum meeting was convened by the EQG at the Water Sports
Association building (on Malmo Quay, on the west bank of the mouth of the Ouseburn), which
was chaired by Bob Langley. He explained “A great deal has been done in recent years on the
future of the valley, notably through the Council’s Working Party, and a number of improvements
had been made, but for a variety of reasons that phase has come to an end and the opportunity
presents itself for someone to ask how that work can best be taken forward. The vision for a
mixed development for the Valley, of business, heritage, leisure with some residential
accommodation, set out in the Ouseburn Working Party Report, and the possible achievement of
that by a Development Trust, very much accords with our own principles of community
involvement and continuity with the past. We offer ourselves as brokers in bringing people
together to see how best progress can be made”. Following that event, a range of activities took
place, including the establishment of a Steering Group, the proposals for a Development Trust,
and discussion with Entrust over financing the work to re-develop the Maynards site.
A public meeting of the ‘Lower Ouseburn Valley Development Trust Steering Group’ in February 1994,
agreed the area of interest and confirmed that the steering group would develop proposals for a
Development Trust with a purpose involving those who live and work in the valley in its future
development and growth, and furthering access to its heritage.
Meanwhile, there were discussions on some specific themes which would each lead to big changes
in the Valley:
 there were talks on the creation of a barrage in the river, and how to deal with the siltation
of the river bed;
 the Byker Bridge Housing Association’s Maurice Condie proposed a joint bid from four housing
associations for residential development;
 Michael Mould developed ideas for the development and support for the arts in the Valley,
including a Community Arts Centre;
Both the East Quayside Monitoring Panel and the East Quayside Group expressed objections to
outline proposals for widespread ‘up-market’ housing development throughout the lower
Ouseburn Valley. In July 1994, a meeting of the East Quayside Group agreed to establish a steering
group to explore the formation of a Development Trust with Charitable status.
Formation of the Trust
The steering group brought together the enthusiasm and efforts of those in the Ouseburn
Monitoring Panel and the East Quayside Group, with the aims of ensuring that some of the benefits
of the TWDC developments accrued to local people, that the area’s heritage was preserved and
that developments were accessible, affordable and would be compatible with the area’s heritage.
Its initial steering group held many discussions with the local community (businesses, residents
associations, the City Farm, housing associations, heritage workers, etc.) to inform its early
planning.
The first meeting of the Development Trust’s Steering Group in March 1994 included Rick
Anderson, Ray Bland, Geoff Kell, Eric Larkham, Mick Marston, Michael Mould and others.
In May 1994, a meeting of the Steering Group heard from the Development Trust Association (DTA)
on the procedures for forming a Development Trust.
In July 1994, Hugh Massey presented a visioning plan illustrating the potential for development,
including a plan to use the whole of Steenberg’s warehouse for an indoor riding arena and
housing.
The rear of the buildings that would become 36 Lime Street Studios and Seven Stories – presumed ca. 1980.
A ‘workshop day’ was arranged for July 1994 called “Planning for the Future”.
At the same time discussions were held with Byker City Farm, residents associations and with local
businesses with talk of some of ambitious schemes for the Valley, and the first suggestions of the
potential to bid into a future SRB bid for the City’s wider East End.
In January 1995, the Constitution was agreed by the Steering Group, including the definition of
the area of benefit. In June, a presentation was made to City Councillors of the initial plans and
work to date.
The Ouseburn Trust’s early years.
In January 1996 the Ouseburn Trust was formed as a ‘Development Trust’ and incorporated as a
Limited Company.
The Trust was chaired by Bob Langley from 1995 until 2006.
The initial activities of the Ouseburn Trust :
A review of security of business premises
Published the Ouseburn Heritage booklet
Signposting and branding of public areas
East Riverside walkway (linking Ouseburn to Jesmond and on to Freeman Road)
Work with Entrust to secure investment in physical regeneration
Partnering the plans for an ‘Eco Centre’ at Byker City Farm
Developing the entrance to the Victoria Tunnel
Publishing a Newsletter
Liasing with the TWDC.
In May 1995, the Trust presented its proposals to Councillors and began drafting a bid into the
Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) for £5m. These were a collection of loosely connected
interventions in the Lower Valley. Government Office North East (GONE) advised Bob Langley
to include the Trust’s proposals in with the City’s elements of a “Shields Road and East Area”
programme of infrastructure enhancements.
That joint bid by NCC & Ouseburn Trust into SRB ‘round 2’ for £7 mil of regeneration funding
was submitted to GONE by NCC and Ouseburn Trust. At the last moment, in September, the
City responded to some political pressure from Byker members, and cut out those elements on
the west of the river – those in the Byker ward - and in the Valley floor. NCC was seeking to
reduce the scope of this joint bid, but some vigorous campaigning and negotiation quickly
followed, with GONE assuring the Trust that a revised bid (into SRB-3) would not have to be
partnered with the City.
In October 1995, the TWDC intimated their intention to put the upper Steenberg’s site up for
public auction. This was the site being considered for housing development. After some urgent
representations from the Trust and others, this proposal was withdrawn in December that year.
The Ouseburn Partnership
In 1996, the Ouseburn Partnership was formed, as a cooperative venture of 18 members, incl. NCC
and the Ouseburn Trust, aiming to bid into SRB-3 for £5m. The Ouseburn Partnership operated
from April 1997 until March 2002. The Partnership’s initial staff included Robin Beveridge, Kate
Edwards, Vicky Smith, Mike Greatbatch, and Peter McIntyre. A Partnership Executive was
established, comprising 4 members of the Trust’s Board and the 3 Sandyford Councillors.
The Partnership received a significant proportion of the Trust’s staff time and the Trust worked
hard to engage with community groups, to encourage developments and to promote awareness
of the Ouseburn Valley. At this time, other public and private investment was being found for
Ouseburn Valley investments, and in response, the Partnership staff took on a monitoring and
advisory role.
The successful, reduced, SRB bid for regeneration funding successfully raised £2.5mil. towards
some of the proposed infrastructure enhancements from 1998, with grants of ca.£3.3m, of other
funding which was levered in at that time, was managed by The Ouseburn Partnership. It is
significant that this was the first SRB project which was not led by a local authority.
Some of the initiatives supported were the Horse Riding Arena, the housing at Upper
Steenberg’s, the offices on the west side of Lime Street, and the Cluny pub. The SRB project ran
for 5 years and the Ouseburn Partnership continued promoting development and overseeing the
legacy for a further 3 years after that, largely supported by NCC and with Peter McIntyre as lead
Officer.
The beginnings of a distinctive character of the Ouseburn was emerging, based on heritage, open
spaces, housing, pubs, music and small creative studios and workspaces.
Eric Larkham and Mike Greatbatch developed a comprehensive programme of heritage events, an
inventory of heritage assets and a team of volunteers to deliver activities for education and for
the wider public.
In the early years, the Trust employed a Coordinator, Chris Llewellyn, and then in 2001, an
Administrator, Kirsten Luckins. In 2003, posts were created by NCC for an Education Officer
(Alison Stancliffe) and Heritage Officer (Mike Greatbatch) who worked out of the office space in
Lime Street shared with the Trust. In 2004 a business Development Manager, Peter Kay, was
appointed, with funding from the Northern Rock Foundation.
Left: view of the Upper Steenberg development by the
Ouseburn Partnership and Ouseburn Trust, consisting
housing association homes in the red block and a
horse riding arena beyond.
As the Trust developed, it adopted 5 “key objectives” which have remained as overarching
principles throughout its existence. : To promote and sustain interest in the heritage of the Ouseburn Valley;
 To work to ensure the sustainability and well-being of the Ouseburn Trust;
 To support the improvement of the physical, social and economic environment of the
Ouseburn Valley;
 To act as a voice and resource for all parts of the Ouseburn community;
 To be an objective and efficient organisation, able to deliver its priorities.
Much of the Trust’s work was delivered through focussed sub-groups comprising board members
(Trustees), staff and volunteers. These have varied over the years, but have included for example: Heritage (including archives, the Victoria Tunnel, guided walks and volunteer leaders);
 Income Generation (including membership subscriptions, car parking charges);
 Community Engagement;
 Developing Social Assets (including work on the Ouseburn Festival).
An early private property development in Lime Street. Wylie &
Charlton’s garage relocated their business from Arch 6 on Stepney
Bank into this distinctively designed dedicated MOT centre. While it
had a strong 1990’s style to it, designed by Amph Thompson, and
built with financial support from the Ouseburn Partnership, it was an
impractical design and only operated for about year. The pigeon
group’s Homing Society blue and white club-house is seen at the right.
Image from the Davey Pearson archive ca. 1998
The Creativity of Ouseburn
Through the period of the Trust’s existence, the make-up of the creative industries populating the
Valley progressively developed. These included both individual artists working in traditional
materials such as stone, fabric, glass, oil and watercolour, and then later, in new digital formats of
music and video production in the 2000’s.
Regional broadcaster Tyne Tees TV had operated from studios on the edge of the Ouseburn Valley
until 2005 and some of the local expertise remained nearby operating in independent start-ups. A
lively cluster of music businesses quickly emerged, including a large number of busy and affordable
rehearsal rooms and several studios covering a wide range of facilities and spaces. The valley
became renowned for its cluster of live music venues, initially these were the Cumberland Arms,
the Tyne Bar, and the Cluny, and later joined by Cluny 2, the Star and Shadow Cinema and
occasional music in the Free Trade Inn, Ship Inn and Heart Attack and Vine and not far away, Hoults
Estate with its Warehouse spaces. One of the factors contributing to their success was the lack of
nearby residents who might find the noise objectionable, particularly late at night, a challenge
which would arise with the construction of residential accommodation in the 2010’s.
As larger and better equipped spaces became available, there was an expansion of PR, marketing
and design businesses, software developers, architectural practice and landscaping design, and film,
video production and print publishers, all with their associated support agencies moving into the
Ouseburn. Three of Arts Council England’s ‘National Portfolio Organisations’ (NPO) are located in
the lower Ouseburn Valley, Seven Stories, Northern Print and Generator.
The annual open air Evolution Festival was held on Spiller Quay from 2005 to 13, and Shindig in
2014 & 15. By the 2010’s, regular music festivals were being held across the valley’s venues,
including the BBC 6 Music festival in 2015. The Ouseburn Festival is celebrated over a weekend
every year in June which recently has included NARCFest of local bands in the indoor venues.
A Timeline of Ouseburn Milestones
1962 NCC Publishes a report on the Ouseburn Valley envisaging buying private land in order to
transform it into an area of green spaces, a plan which begins to take place through the
1960’s.
1969 Construction of the Byker Wall housing project begins (architect Ralph Erskine).
1973 Byker Bridge Housing Association is formed (later to become Tyne Housing Association).
1976 Byker Farm opens as a local workers’ cooperative, producing vegetables for the local
communities.
1978–82 construction of the Tyne & Wear Metro including the Byker Viaduct across the upper
valley; the viaduct is completed in 1982.
1982 Michael Mould of Bruvvers Theatre Co buys 36 Lime Street and develops artists studios.
1984 Pauline Murray establishes Polestar Studio and rehearsal rooms in Uptin House on Stepney
Road.
1987 The Tyne Wear Development Corporation was established
1988 Tony Brookes brings his Legendary Yorkshire Heroes drinks distribution business into the
derelict Off Quay Building.
1989 A new foot bridge across the Ouseburn is installed next to the Farm.
1990 The first audio visual production and equipment companies located to valley in the Off Quay
Building (Nick Ketteringham’s Target Communications and Dave Cross’ Midnight Electronics)
and the Generator music development agency is established there in 1991.
1993 Tall Ships Race visits the Tyne. A fire destroyed Maynards “Toffee Factory” near the mouth of
the Ouseburn
1994 The new ‘Boat House’ is constructed for the Ouseburn WaterSports Association on the east
bank of the river mouth (below the Free Trade Inn) opening Jan 1995.
1994 The Ouseburn Trust publishes “Ouseburn – a new Urban Village”
1995 The interim Trust gains access to the Victoria Tunnel.
1996 The Ouseburn Trust is registered.
1997 The first Ouseburn Festival is held.
1998 The blue, white and orange building at 17-21 Lime Street is operating as Wylie & Charlton’s
garage & MOT test centre.
1999, Michael Mould opens The Cluny pub, operated by some of the staff from the recently closed
Riverside music venue, shortly followed by the adjoining Cluny music venue.
2000 the Ouseburn Conservation Area was adopted. Civic artworks were installed, and a seating
circle below the Cumberland Arms.
2001 widespread objection to a proposal by Wimpey to construct a 32-storey tower block on
Malmo Quay (refused in 2002)
2002 Following the Ouseburn Partnership, an advisory group with local council members, the
Ouseburn Advisory Committee, was formed. 30 Lime Street was bought for the development
of the National Centre for the Childrens’ Book.
2003 The Ouseburn Regeneration Strategy was published by the OAC which identifies the Valley’s
‘alternative’ and ‘creative’ character. NCC recorded 300 businesses in the Ouseburn Valley,
mainly in leisure and creative industries, and the number of new business start ups are
higher. Think-tank DEMOS publishes ‘Northern Soul’ cautioning of the hazards of
gentrification of the Ouseburn. “the old industrial area of the Ouseburn, which is being earmarked for
expensive development which will have little to do with the original community . . we’ve lost the Ouseburn ”; The
Victoria Tunnel becomes Grade II listed ; an initial study into constructing a barrage at the
river mouth is published.
2004 Nick James’ Mushroom Works open. Victoria Tunnel closes for urgent repairs; Ten bronze
plaques are embedded into Valley pathways.
2005 The Evolution Festival moves to Spillers Wharfe each May from 2005 to 2013; The Tall Ships
Race visit the Tyne; Seven Stories opens.
2006 The Biscuit Factory opens; Ouseburn Farm reopens; Artworks opens; Star & Shadow opens;
Victoria Tunnel opens to the public; The Watersports Association clubhouse is taken on by
NCC as the Ouseburn Regeneration Centre; McFees yard is developed by NCC as a carpark and open-air performance space; plans for the Ouseburn Barrage are approved.
2007 The Round theatre opens, next to the Cluny (later to become Cluny 2).
2008 Hotel du Vin opens in former shipping company head-quarters in Allen House on City Road.
2009 Ouseburn Barrage officially opened; The Ouseburn Trust takes over running of the Victoria
Tunnel tours.
2011 NCC’s Ouseburn Regeneration team publish the “Ouseburn Regeneration and Investment
Action Plan” (ORIAP) setting out projects and initiatives for the period to 2020. The Byker
Community Trust is established as a provide of social housing.
2011 Massive fire at Shepherds scrap metal closes access to much of the Valley, named “The Great
Fire of Byker”.
2012 Flooding in the valley floor following inability of the Barrage to manage the flow from
intense rains.
2014 The Victoria Tunnel is listed as the top attraction in Newcastle Gateshead by Tripadvisor.
2015 the first residents move into the Malings housing on the east bank.
Above : Victoria Tunnel with installed lighting and internal communications installation. ca 2010.
The Trust progresses and evolves
The Trust has continued to manage and develop its properties, and its archives of local heritage
resources, over its 20 years since incorporation. While the emphasis of its focus has shifted over
time, the strong voice of local information and representation, its partnership working and the
success of the Victoria Tunnel has placed the Ouseburn Trust at the heart of the Ouseburn
through its exciting period of transformation.
In 2000, a bid into SRB-6 for further asset development is successful. An active programme of
Heritage work is overseen by Board member and heritage volunteer Eric Larkham, including
extremely popular guided walks.
In 2002, the Trust re-located its base from an office in 36 Lime Street to a dedicated unit at 53
Lime Street. Kirsten Luckens is appointed as Administrator.
An innovative business incubation scheme called “Cuckoo’s Nest” is devised by Bill Colwell in 2003,
in which business start-ups share space with established enterprises.
A Lone Parent Support Group is established.
Peter Kay is appointed Chief Officer in 2004 and Kirsten Luckens becomes the Information and
Outreach worker.
A Living Archive project also begins in 2005, accumulating documents and interviews with
residents, accumulating a wealth of local history from living memory. Produced by Sylvie Fisch and
others. Lottery Funding of nearly £5k secures the IT and audio equipment to enable the digital
archive of heritage materials to be developed over several years.
“Live – Work” Proposals for new builds on some open spaces were developed with the theme of
mixed use residential housing and associated studios or workshops, and with the aspiration to
achieve investment and grant funding to support their construction.
The first plan for a ‘live - work’ development at the Canvas Works site at 47 Lime Street is
produced.
“Gleam” Graduate Learning of Entrepreneurship Accelerated through Mentoring, a collaborative
venture to support cultural industries with mentoring, round the clock helpline and specialist legal
and financial advice known as “Creative Gleam” ran through 2007 – 2008. This was a partnership
between the Ouseburn Trust, NCC, One North East and Durham Business School.
Kirsten becomes Volunteer Support Officer in 2007.
Ouseburn Valley Volunteers In 2008, Collette Harrison is appointed as a Volunteer Consortium
Coordinator working alongside Kirsten Luckens, with a range of volunteer programmes. These
included placements for volunteers in any of the Consortium members' organisations, as well as
supporting events for the Trust such as walks, talks and Business Breakfasts, and contributing to
archives of photographs and oral history of people who had memories of the Valley, practical
maintenance, archive curation, etc. overseen and inspired by Brenda Grey.
Kitty Porteous is appointed as administrator in 2009.
“Street Stars” Local enterprise support is offered through the “Street Stars” running from 2010
until 2012, and managed by Colette Harrison. This engaged with the rapidly expanding community
of local businesses, with regular Business Breakfasts.
Above : An Open Doors consultation event.
2013.
“Open Doors” A scheme supporting community asset
transfer from the public sector.
Open Doors was a consortium of Ouseburn Trust with
Newcastle CVS, Boxx Consultants, Sustainable Enterprise
Solutions and Locality (formerly the DTA), established
in 2011 by a network of community organisations in
the East End of Newcastle. Led by the Ouseburn
Trust, managed by Mandy Robinson and funded by
The Newcastle Fund. From 2014 it offered
Community Mapping and STEPS training to enhance
community involvement and personal development of
volunteers in Community Centres.
It supported management committees and volunteers to run successful and sustainable
Community Centres. Training was offered in creating welcoming, well-managed, safe and inclusive
Centres, including an Open Doors Charter Mark to demonstrate the achievement of the standards.
The Trust’s portfolio of properties in 2015 includes:
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Land under 3 arches of the Byker Bridge incl. the property in Arch 6.
The indoor riding arena (used by Stepney Bank Stables);
Social housing at Lower Steenberg’s with commercial units below on Lime Street.
A short section of the river walkway on the east bank
The Canvas Works at 47-49 Lime Street
Management of the Victoria Tunnel
Meanwhile, external developers had not been slow in coming forward. Despite the refusal by the
City’s Planners for Wimpey’s 32-storey tower in 2001, Metier constructed new flats on a
prominent position overlooking the valley at Lime Square. In their marketing materials of 2004,
Metier painted a very different picture to that of the City in the 1960’s “just minutes away from
the vibrant life of Newcastle's Quayside" with "fascinating old buildings" and "a unique mix of
historic riverside". Their one-bedroom flats went on the market at £135k.
In partnership with NCC, and with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and
the Tyne & Wear Partnership, repairs and safety precautions were undertaken in
the Victoria Tunnel in 2007 & 08. Management and responsibility for the Victoria
Tunnel passed to the Ouseburn Trust in 2010. Since then, the Trust has an
intensive programme of Tunnel tours and hosts other ad hoc events, managed
by a part-time officer, Clive Goodwin, and which produces a vital revenue
stream for the Trust.
Above : a moment during one of the special events held from time to time in the Victoria Tunnel
The Trust aims to continue managing a portfolio of properties with the ongoing purpose of
catering for and sustaining local businesses, and contributing to the stock of affordable housing. It
aims to develop its heritage resources and provide ready access to its archive of historic and
recent Ouseburn information and images. It also aims to continue its representational role,
seeking to ensure that the most appropriate developments take place during the coming years
while external developers turn their attention to the opportunities created by the available sites
in the Ouseburn and that the unique open spaces remain available for recreation and as a vital
habitat for local wildlife.
Other Ouseburn groups
On the dissolution of the Ouseburn Partnership, the Trust inherited some Partnership assets,
including the portfolio properties on the west of Lime Street (social housing, offices, workshops,
horse riding arena), land under 3 arches of Byker Bridge, and a small length of the riverside
walkway.
The Trust continued to support the successor to the Ouseburn Partnership, The Ouseburn Advisory
Committee (OAC), formed of the Ouseburn Trust and five local Councillors from the Byker and
Sandyford/Ouseburn wards of the City. The OAC began in 2002 and was chaired by Bob Langley.
This was in contrast with all other area committees, which were chaired by NCC members. It
oversaw the spend of Single Programme funding received from One North East through the
TyneWear Partnership. The OAC facilitated a quarterly Regeneration Forum, until the end of 2009,
overseeing the implementation of the Regeneration Strategy and how the Bridging Newcastle
Gateshead Initiative might support local development.
The OAC was instrumental in the formation of a wider area Ouseburn and Byker Project Board.
In 2007 the Ouseburn and Byker Project Board was established with a broader remit than the OAC
in line with other area-based initiatives elsewhere in the City. Reflecting this approach, and
wishing to retain a local focus, the City decided to restructure and established the Ouseburn
Management Board (OMB) that year, in which the Trust was one of several members alongside
representatives from other themes and interests (such as local businesses, arts & culture, etc.),
and regularly engaged with council officers on specific topics. The OMB was chaired by Byker
Councillor Nick Kemp and had an innovative structure, with representatives from communities of
interest as well as communities of place.
Volunteers from Ouseburn Futures working with the Trust, engaging with the community in 2015
When NCC wound up its area-based regeneration teams in 2011, the OMB ceased to meet.
Shortly thereafter, many of the former representatives on the OMB, including some Ouseburn
Trust staff and Trustees, began to form Ouseburn Futures, with the aim of seeing some of the
regeneration work continue on a voluntary basis with local coordination and routine liaison with
the City. Ouseburn Futures was established in 2012 and formally adopted the City’s Regeneration
Plan for the area with a small budget to enable it to achieve some of those objectives. As the City
Council cut back its service provision, the opportunities for Ouseburn Futures to provide local
services through voluntary work expanded.