Townscape Heritage Initiatives

Townscape Heritage Initiatives (THIs) are funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and help communities regenerate Conservation Areas. They create partnerships of local organisations to carry out repairs and other works to historic buildings, structures and spaces. 

There are two THIs in Gateshead that have helped us take care of our heritage.

Coatsworth Road THI

In 2012 Gateshead Council successfully bid for a THI on Coatsworth Road in Bensham and Saltwell. The project will bring in over £1.9 million of investment over four years and is due to end December 2017. It will deliver:

• grants to repair and restore 30 priority historic buildings on Coatsworth Road;
• grants to bring empty properties back into use;
• some public realm improvements; and
• activities to involve local traders in supporting small businesses, and local people in maintaining buildings and practical skills, and improving the local knowledge of conservation, design and planning

We hope that by restoring the historic environment, the quality of life for people living, working and shopping on Coatsworth Road will be improved.

For information about what is happening in the THI, view our newsletters.

Winter 2016-17 (PDF, 9 MB)(opens new window)

Autumn 2016 (PDF, 6 MB)(opens new window)

Summer 2017 (PDF, 2 MB)(opens new window)

Winter 2017 (PDF, 5 MB)

Roads, pavements and parking: results of recent public consultation

A survey was recently conducted in the Coatsworth Road area which highlighted that parking is proving to be a major issue, affecting businesses, public safety and the physical condition of the pavements.

As a result of this, our Highways department has designed a scheme to tackle these issues but with its restricted budget the Highways scheme will be limited to dealing with the essential issues only.

The limitations of the Coatsworth Road THI grant ( which is HLF funded ) means it can only be used to enhance the streetscape through the quality of its surface materials. For example it can't be used to pay towards maintaining and repairing the roads , or replacement or provision of street furniture or lighting. The scheme will focus on resurfacing the road and addressing some of the parking and public safety issues by revising the current parking and loading arrangements, and introducing a 20mph zone which will include traffic calming measures.

To make use of the grant money available from the HLF, the THI has worked with the Highways department to enhance their scheme by introducing upgraded surface materials to many of the new and existing areas of pavement and road surfacing, including the new traffic calming features.

Get Involved!

22 Sheds is a community organisation that worked with the local people, schools and young people, to explore, understand and appreciate the Coatsworth Road THI area and its heritage.

22 Sheds asked local people and groups to gather, donate and research materials to create an archive which now supports the schools programmes that 22 Sheds developed .

These programmes support local children to learn about the area as part of their local history projects. Archive items were displayed in an exhibition inside a shop on Coatsworth Road which included a timeline with maps showing how the area has changed over the years. It also exhibited work by local children, their drawings, models, art work and ceramics produced as part of the project. Examples of their work can be found at the Shipley Art Gallery, housed there to support future schools work. Archive material and school programme plans can be found on the Coatsworth Collection area of Gateshead Libraries. (opens new window).

There is also more information on www.facebook.com/coatsworthvillage (opens new window)

Business Support 

Bsupplied

Traders in the street have benefited from specialist advice from retail expert Dave Crompton of Bsupplied to help improve their business. While this project  has been is very much about restoring part of the architectural heritage and its appeal to shoppers, it was is also about improving the economic wellbeing of the retailers and the service they can offer .

For more information on how Bsupplied is helping to improve Coatsworth Road, view A Day in the Life of Dave Crompton: Business Consultant to Coatsworth Road THI (PDF, 158 KB)(opens new window).

Find more information about local retailers at www.facebook.com/coatsworthvillage (opens new window)

Coatsworth Road Projects

Dansky's

Dansky's is a prominent building on Coatsworth Road but its importance in the street has been lost over the years, as the building has been adapted and traditional windows lost behind modern additions. The works that have taken place have brought the shop-front back to its former glory and provides a strong focal point at the South end of this once busy street.

The specialist grocery store and kosher delicatessen became the first store on Coatsworth Road in Gateshead to undergo restoration as part of a project to revitalise the area. 

After the restoration the store had its modern façade replaced with windows and doors much more in keeping with its early 20thCentury heritage.  

Unsightly industrial type external steel roller shutters were removed with new shutters placed inside to maintain security and show-off the new shop front. Original stained glass was re used, and the original advertising board above the shop was sign painted by hand by a local artist, all helping to make the store much more attractive to customers and more appropriate to its surroundings.

Adams

Extensive work was carried out at Adams shop starting in August 2014. Work to the ground floor included 3 new timber shop fronts and internal shutters, new fascia and signs. The upper floors were completely rebuilt including new timber windows and a new roof structure with chimneys and dormer windows. Upon completion in November 2015 the previously unoccupied internal floor space has been fitted out and brought back into use as the Shah Jalal Islamic cultural centre.

Stamp Shop

The Stamp Shop is one of the long-standing businesses on Coatsworth Road and they recently took advantage of a Townscape Heritage grant to replace the shop front. Eric the proprietor decided it was about time he renovated the interior of the shop too. Eric and his family are delighted with the results and he has made new contacts and even more local friends in the process.  Business is ticking over very nicely and he is developing the web side of his business. Eric's shop looks great and he is reaping the benefits of keeping the shop looking fresh and uncluttered.

Next projects

We are in the process of planning our next block of projects at Sue Ryder Charity Shop, GK Kosher Butcher, Wheel Assist and hopefully Eagle Residential.

Documents

Conservation Area Management Strategy (PDF, 22 MB)(opens new window)

Shop front Design Guide (PDF, 7 MB)(opens new window)

Coatsworth Conservation Area Character Appraisal (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)

Coatsworth Conservation Area and THI Priority Buildings (PDF, 1 MB)(opens new window)

Coatsworth-Road-THI-Boundary--Priority-buildings (PDF, 2 MB)

Consultation Statement (PDF, 16 KB)(opens new window)

SPD Adoption statement (PDF, 13 KB)(opens new window)

Bridges THI

Also funded by the Bridges the Heritage Lottery Fund the Bridges THI completed in 2011. It covered the Bridges Conservation Area from the High Level Bridge up to the old Town Hall, the historic core of Gateshead. 

The project focused on bringing historic buildings back into use and improving the streets and open spaces in the area. It included a total of 11 projects - five buildings were restored and six vacant buildings were repaired and brought back into use.