north east
(c) Sally Ann Norman
Over the last 25 years a group of architects, planners, engineers, landscape architects and property consultants, have looked at some of the region’s problems and opportunities. Their observations and proposed solutions were published in a series of eight books.
This exhibition highlights the suggestions that have actually happened but demonstrates several problems that still remain. We welcome your comments on the progress to date and your help in identifying the areas which still need to be resolved.
Acknowledgements:
Lazlo Torday and Local Collection images reproduced courtesy of Newcastle City Library
Virtual NewcastleGateshead at Northumbria University
© Paul Swaddle

north east
1986 Cityscape 1
Cityscape 1 based on European cities and towns where issues around planning, transportation and the urban realm appeared to have already been addressed.
This study concentrated on the city centre and the majority of its proposals have happened including the pedestrianisation of Northumberland Street
1999 Gateshead Townscape
Gateshead Townscape looked at the town centre and its links to the river and Newcastle city centre.
The study looked forward to the Newcastle:Gateshead partnership and recognised the contribution made to landscape, art and amenity in the region
2007 Euroscape
Euroscape looked at Newcastle:Gateshead’s links to other
North Sea ports and how the conurbation was influenced by its European neighbours.
2009 Servant Plan
Servant Plan was an overview of the earlier studies to look at the rationalisation of public and private transport in
Newcastle:Gateshead.
It looked at ways of making pedestrian movement in and between both centres, more user friendly
1996 Cityscape 2
Cityscape2 took a wider view including areas outside of the city centre and looked at its historic development as well as possibilities for the future.
Amongst other things it proposed the boulevard leading up to St James’ Park and a public transport system linking the
Quayside and the city centre both of which are in place now
2001 Riverscape
Riverscape looked at the challenges and opportunities around the river from Newburn to Shields focussing on movement, culture and community, bridgeheads and ecological regeneration
2008 Bridgescape
Bridgescape looked again at the way topography cut the river off from the centre of Newcastle:Gateshead.
It looked at the possibility of a fast river bus serving all of the eastern conurbations along the river.
2012 Seascape
Seascape looked at regeneration around the mouth of the
Tyne and the impact of climate change on the use and development of the seafront
© Paul Swaddle

north east
© VNG
1 John Dobson street extension
2 Laing Art Gallery extension
3 New Laing Art Gallery square
4 Demolish
John Dobson street deck
5 Pedestrianise
Northumberland Street
1986 Cityscape 1 All of the five key suggestions have been carried out although the major extension to the Laing Art
Gallery to increase collection hanging space remains to be done
© VNG
1 Quayside Tram Link
2 Ecological Bridges
3 Haymarket
Pedestrianisation
4 Pedestrian friendly
Boulevard
5 Open up Eldon
Square pedestrianise
Blackett Street
6 Pedestrianise
Monument area
7 Demolish office pedestrianise
Bigg Market
8 Pedestrianise
Central Station forecourt
9 Pedestrianise
Pilgrim Street roundabout
10 Pedestrianise
Guildhall area
1996 Cityscape 2 Two of the ten key suggestions have been completed and five have been carried out in part. The remaining three remain simply as ideas for the future
© Paul Swaddle

north east
1 Haymarket pedestrianisation
2 Deck Motorway
3 Pilgrim Street quarter
4 Pedestrianise Waterloo street area
5 Pedestrianise Central station forecourt
6 Pedestrianise
Stephenson Memorial area
7 Develop empty sites
8 Pedestrian approach to
St James’
9 Q-Link extension
10 Additional parking node
P
2009 Servant Plan for
Newcastle Of the ten key suggestions only the pedestrianisation of parts of Waterloo Square and one of the four proposed satellite car parks have been completed. This study is to be revisited over the coming year with a view to publishing an electronic update by the middle of 2014. Your thoughts and comments on how things could develop in future would be welcomed
1 Q link extension
2 Quaygate development
3 Town housing
4 Traffic calming generally
5 Additional parking node
P
2009 Servant Plan for
Gateshead None of the five key suggestions have been implemented but Gateshead has changed dramatically since
2009 and our suggestions will be assessed in the light of those changes and form part of our 2014 update.
Once again your thoughts and comments would be welcomed
© Paul Swaddle

north east
Haymarket diagrammatic proposals
Haymarket - 1960s Haymarket Sketch Proposal © Cityscape 1997 Haymarket Sketch Proposal © Cityscape 1997
The Haymarket is the northern entry to Newcastle city centre. At present traffic movement takes priority over pedestrian routes into the top of Northumberland Street and Percy Street and effectively cuts the
University off from the parkland around the Civic Centre and the northern sector of the city.
Cityscape 2 suggested traffic calming opportunities allowing the formation of a pedestrian friendly square linking Northumberland Street, the Civic Centre and the University. The study recognised that it was unrealistic to assume a completely traffic free area but noted that “ease and safety of access for pedestrians between the University and Northumberland Street must become a priority”
The Servant Plan for Newcastle went further and suggested decking over the dual carriageway of the Great
North Road to form a fully pedestrianised square at the end of Jesmond Road linking the northern and eastern sectors of the University. Public transport, emergency vehicles and time controlled service vehicles would be allowed to travel through to the Haymarket.
All other vehicles would park in a new satellite multi-storey car park constructed within the existing dual carriageway cut. A free park and ride extension of the
Q-link bus service would take shoppers directly into the city centre.
Proposals instigated by Newcastle NE1 Ltd are currently being considered for the formation of a pedestrian friendly space linking Northumberland Street, the
Civic Centre and the University.
© Paul Swaddle

north east
Northumberland Street diagrammatic proposals
Northumberland Street - 1968
Northumberland Street - 1980
Northumberland Street Proposal - 1967 Linear City - Napper Architects
Unless you are over “a certain age” it’s difficult to remember that Northumberland Street was once part of the main A1 route north to Scotland. That, combined with the street being used as a main public transport route, meant that anyone trying to shop took their life in their hands every time they crossed from one side of the road to the other. Traffic calming measures and pedestrian bridges were tried in the1960s but the street remained dangerous, noisy and dirty. The photo collection on this board shows the street from its Victorian heyday through to the 1970s before it was pedestrianised.
Cityscape 1 suggested that John Dobson Street should be extended to allow all vehicles to be removed from Northumberland Street. The street was finally pedestrianised in 1998 based on the principles suggested in Cityscape and although much could still be done to improve the way the street looks it is at least safe for people to use.
Improvements which are easy to carry out include banning all service vehicles from the street, encouraging a greater spread of pavement cafes, introducing major tree planting and covering some sections to provide shelter from the weather. What do you think?
Northumberland Street Sketch Proposal © Cityscape1987 Northumberland Street Sketch Proposal © Cityscape 1987
© Paul Swaddle

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Central Station diagrammatic proposals
Central Station - 1900 Neville Street - 1900 Central Station Sketch Proposal © Cityscape 1997 Central Station Sketch Proposal © Cityscape 1997
For those visiting Newcastle the impression of grandeur and sense of destination that the station gives is undermined by its juxtaposition with a three lane fast traffic route past its frontage. Taxis and casual parkers block pedestrian movement through the portico and visitors are met by a profusion of signage, barriers, planters and bus shelters. Work is underway to remedy some of these issues but more could always be done to improve one of the key gateways into the city.
Cityscape 2 suggested that all traffic other than public transport, taxis and drop off should either be routed behind the station or dropped into an underpass parallel with its frontage. The roof of the underpass would form a new pedestrian route into the heart of the city. The extended Q-link service would link the station to new satellite car parks on the perimeter of the city.
The Servant Plan for Newcastle suggested that additional traffic calming should be put in place so as to provide a safe east-west pedestrian routes from Waterloo
Square to the Stephenson Monument in Neville Street.
© Paul Swaddle
Central Station Proposal © Newcastle City Council 2013

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New Bridge Street 1982 Cityscape 2: Vision of a Pedestrianised New Bridge Street
The Blue Carpet completed in 2001 Central Library completed 2009
Two of Newcastle’s major cultural facilities, the Central Library and the Laing Art Gallery, feel detached despite being less than 200 metres from the bottom of Northumberland Street. The sense of detachment is a product of the difficult pedestrian routes to both buildings. Narrow pavements with intrusive bus stops and the actual physical separation of John Dobson Street makes access to the main entrances of both buildings difficult. The derelict site immediately adjacent to the Library entrance and the distressed condition of the “Blue Carpet” in front of the Laing do little to improve matters. Cityscape 1 suggested a new square in front of the Laing and a northwards extension to provide additional gallery space. The square, in the form of the “Blue Carpet”, was carried out but the gallery extension remains a pipe dream. Cityscape 2 looked at introducing traffic calming on John Dobson Street and New Bridge
Street making pedestrian access easier and vibrant shops and cafes on the “Blue Carpet” square more likely. The Servant Plan for Newcastle explored the removal of traffic from New Bridge Street and how a new square formed in front of the Library could link with the “Blue Carpet” across John Dobson Street.
Pedestrian Deck over Dobson Street connecting the Library and Laing Art Gallery 1968
© Paul Swaddle

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Monument 1901
Blackett Street
Blackett Street 1911
Cityscape 2: Vision of Monument Cityscape 2: Pedestrianised Vision of Blackett Street
The northern and southern halves of the city centre are cut off from each other by Blackett Street which in its current form is prioritised for public transport and service vehicle movement. Although the area around the Monument has been successfully pedestrianised, this busy public meeting place is compromised by significant bus movements along its northern edge. What is true for Monument Square applies to Eldon
Square where its southern boundary is defined by bus stops and heavy east-west traffic. Blackett Street is noisy, dirty and dangerous and suffers from some of the worst air pollution of any inner city street in the country. Cityscape 2 suggested removing all but emergency service traffic from Blackett Street linking the street to satellite parking and a local bus station with an extension of the Q-link tram. This simple solution would allow the formation of a wide tree lined boulevard linking the Library and Laing in the east to St James’ Park in the west. The study also suggested that a link should be formed directly from Eldon
Square into the shopping centre malls to its north and south. This has been carried out and the square is significantly more vibrant for it.
Eldon Square and Blackett Street
© Paul Swaddle

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View of St James’ from St James’ Boulevard
St James’ Park 1995
St James’ Park 1904
Cityscape 2: Supporters Square connecting the city to the Stadium
For many people St James’ Park is the city’s emotional heart and yet it is isolated from the centre sitting in a sea of roads and parking. Gallowgate and Barrack Road are the main routes west out of the city centre and traffic congestion in front of the stadium is caused by the volume of cars heading south on to St James’ Boulevard. Public transport connections are good but supporters arriving by
Metro find themselves in a sunken space filled with cars rather than the entrance to the stadium.
Cityscape 2 suggested a “triumphant avenue” be constructed leading to St James’ Park from the south,
Newcastle’s version of Wembley Way and a celebration of the importance of the club and supporters to the city. St James’ Boulevard was constructed in 1998 on the line suggested by Cityscape but instead of being celebratory it is a busy urban highway. Decking over the Metro station car park was proposed to form a supporters’ square directly connected to the stadium with cafes and bars to serve supporters and visitors.
The Servant Plan for Newcastle looked at extending the pedestrian space for match day crowds by diverting the northern end of the Boulevard eastwards along Wellington Street.
View of St James’ and Gallowgate
© Paul Swaddle

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© Paul Swaddle

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(c) Local History Collection
(c) Local History Collection
(c) Local History Collection
(c) Chronicle Collection
(c)Lazlo Torday
(c) Local History Collection (c) Lazlo Torday
(c) Local History Collection
(c) Chronicle Collection
(c)Lazlo Torday
© Paul Swaddle