£60m thumbs up for Whitley Bay 13/12/05

North Tyneside Council today announces a timetable for action on the regeneration of the Spanish City area of Whitley Bay.

A masterplan for the £60 million redevelopment of the area is due to go out to public engagement early in the New Year.

New works have already been carried out and the latest phase -demolishing Duncan's amusements at Spanish City - will also take place early in January along with work to re-align roads around the site.

A planning application has been submitted for an outdoor events area and family friendly venue turning Whitley Park into a state of the art playground and increasing its size. Work will start once approval has been given.

Design work is now being completed and planning applications are due to be submitted in March and the council expects full building work to start on the site in July.

North Tyneside Council's cabinet member for regeneration Cllr Jim Allan said: "The council has a total determination to make the regeneration of Whitley Bay a reality and this timetable provides milestones for that to happen.

"Some demolition has already taken place but the community will start to see some real movement on the site in January and we intend to carry out full scale public engagement event in the town to ensure that residents have the chance to see what is proposed."

Anticipated outcomes for the regeneration scheme are:

- Up to £60m investment

- In the region of 300 homes

- Up to 100 new or safeguarded jobs

- Highway and environmental improvements

- New hotel and commercial accommodation

- Reconfiguration and modernisation of the existing leisure pool

- A new lease of life for the famous Dome which would become a cultural hub for arts, culture and family activities in North Tyneside with proposals for a flexible performance space.

- Flexible workshop spaces

- Offices for independent arts organisations linking in with a £5.5m investment in the Whitley Bay Playhouse

- £5.5m for a new joint service centre

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