Feasibility Study for the Industrial Area - Part 1 (PDF 5 MB)

8. Baseline Key Issues
This section summarises the key issues of the report and
highlights the potential way forward, which will inform the
development of a strategy.
8.1 Property and Development
- The area works as a “de facto” cluster of marine/offshore
industries, at least in part of the site. More than half the
sites are occupied by customers, suppliers and
competitors of the sector.
- The marine/ offshore sector has global operators, with very
stiff competition and an unlimited choice of sites on a
global scale. Incentives are normally offered to attract large
companies, which generate many direct and indirect jobs.
- There is no pro-active marketing of the area, at the
international or national level. However, the City Council
(landowner of most of the area) have been very active in the
past 10-15 years and attracted two major global players to
the area and SRB funding for the construction of high
quality units.
- Very recent speculative units could not be let to
companies of the sector and achieved very low rents.
- Many companies of the offshore and engineering sector
seem to have stable or growing business. There are also
pockets of low value occupiers.
- There is a good number of sites that are vacant or have
leases expiring in the near future. Some of these sites
have access, topographical and ground condition
constraints. Many, however, have quay access. A
comprehensive approach to the improvement and
occupation of these sites is necessary.
8.2 Regeneration
- The study area is located in predominantly residential
Walker, an area included in the government Pathfinder
Programme, for which a master plan for regeneration has
been recently prepared (Places for People Master Plan).
- It is the early days of the implementation of the master
plan, with a first set of redeveloped housing near the
industrial Walker Riverside being awarded “minded to
grant” planning status in December 2004.
- Ultimately the master plan will create a much improved
neighbourhood, reversing the trend of population loss and
general decline. Homes, schools, shops, community
facilities and public transport will be improved and will, at
least indirectly, positively affect the study area.
8.3 Planning Policy
- Regional policies support the development of some
specific clusters, including the marine/ offshore/ high value
added engineering. Walker Riverside, however, is not
included in any of their “prestige” employment sites.
- They seek to protect wharves and deep water quays,
where there is a realistic prospect of port related activities.
- Regional policies stress the importance of developing
knowledge based industries and indicate that there is
overprovision of general employment land and seek deallocation
of industrial sites.
- Local policies identify the Walker Riverside for retention of
industrial uses (B1, B2, B8) and particularly identify the
southern end of the study area for economic development,
and the northern section for industrial and commercial
improvement.
- The environmental potential of the study area is identified
by the UDP and Biodiversity Action Plan, which seek to
protect and enhance the environmental and wildlife
potential of the area.
- The (un-adopted) Walker Riverside master Plan (1998)
identifies a vision for the area as a cluster of marine/
offshore businesses.
8.4 Transport and Movement
- The area has good strategic links to the motorways and
city centre. The current freight route to the centre (A186,
Walker Road) needs re-evaluation in the light of the Places
for People Master Plan. The suitability of Fossway as an
alternative freight route could not be confirmed.
- Within the study area, the spine Wincomblee Road/ White
Street/ Fisher Street could provide a suitable internal
distributor road if improvements are carried out at specific
inadequate stretches and junctions.
- Access to the public quay is convoluted. Access to
riverside sites between Malaya Drive and Welbeck Road is
particularly difficult and potential infrastructure
improvements should be evaluated.
- There is no comprehensive parking management in the
area, which generate conflicts in certain portion of the
study area, particularly where individual sites do not have
large yards and parking facilities within their premises.
- The study area is relatively well served by public transport
(with the exception of the southern part), but bus waiting
facilities and information are poor.
- Some specific proposals (boulevarding of Walker Road,
access to the river for leisure, improved urban setting and
pressures on the Station Road businesses) need careful
and strategic management.
- Proposals for a training facility on site (School of
Technology), promoted by Newcastle College and the City
Council, and seeking liaison with the local businesses
could provide a valuable asset to the area.
44 Colin Buchanan