A major project to transform South Shields town centre has received a multi-million-pound funding boost.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and the North East Combined Authority have agreed in principle to award up to £18.2m towards the relocation of Tyne Coast College, including South Tyneside College and the world-renowned South Shields Marine School.
The cash, from the Early Capital and Investment Fund, will support the college’s move from its current Westoe site into the heart of the town centre, with a state-of-the-art 14,000 sqm campus, close to South Shields Interchange, bringing thousands of students and staff into the town centre every day.
The funding will enable a start on site later this year, with a view to the new college being ready to welcome students in the 2027 September intake.
Caption: L-R North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, Dr Malcolm Grady, Chair of Governors, Tyne Coast College; Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:
Bringing South Tyneside College and the world-renowned Marine School to the town centre will transform South Shields and be a catalyst for new investment, new business and new jobs in and around King Street.
That’s why we have agreed £18.2 million for a state-of-the art new campus which will be a cornerstone for South Shields town centre for decades to come, attracting students from across the North East and the world.
This project has been talked about for years and the site on King Street is ready to go. We are making it happen, so we can get on with the job of bringing new life to our town centres and high streets.
The new campus will close to sustainable transport links for students and staff, helping towards the region’s environmental targets.
In public consultation carried out by South Tyneside Council in 2022, more than 80 per cent of people who responded supported the idea of the college relocation, believing it would lead to a livelier town centre and help to sustain new and existing businesses.
And the Association of Colleges and the High Streets Commission have both found that colleges play an important role in driving footfall.
Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, said:
This is the final piece of the funding jigsaw, which means the next step will be work getting underway.
Our regeneration ambitions are focused on diversifying the town centre so that it is not solely reliant on retail. This development is going to bring in thousands of additional people, boosting footfall and delivering a new sense of vitality.
We, and our partners at the college, are going to create a modern campus fit for the future, giving young people from across South Tyneside and beyond the skills they need to access jobs in leading industries such as the green economy.
Planning permission has been granted for the 14,000 sqm main building, student accommodation block and the refurbishment of a listed building on Barrington Street, and Hebburn-based contractor Castle Building has been appointed.
The main building will be accessed on King Street, with a double-height glass atrium behind the reception entrance. A second entrance will be provided along Barrington Street, linking the building to the main campus, and a refurbished Grade-II-listed building will accommodate staff facilities, bringing a vacant building back into use.
Dr Lindsey Whiterod CBE, Chief Executive of Tyne Coast College, said:
Our relocation will play a key role in boosting local business, equipping people with the work and life skills they need to succeed and supporting the economic growth of the region.
It will ensure the long-term viability of the college and our internationally-respected Marine School and generations of future learners will benefit from the most modern and high-quality facilities.
The NECA funding is in addition to £20m of government regeneration funding awarded to South Tyneside Council to revitalise South Shields town centre and riverside, and £21.9m to Tyne Coast College from the Department for Education’s FE Capital Transformation Fund.
A game-changing project to transform South Shields town centre has taken a major step forward.
A contractor has been appointed to deliver the relocation of South Tyneside College. The move will see South Tyneside College and South Shields Marine School relocate from its current Westoe site into the heart of the town centre.
Castle has been selected to carry out construction of the new 15,000sq m campus, following a competitive tender process. The Hebburn-based firm has been appointed on a pre-construction services agreement ahead of an anticipated start on site in the summer.
Over the coming months, Castle will finalise detailed designs for the scheme and undertake preparatory works on site.
Planning permission was granted in 2023, and demolition works have been completed to prepare the site for development.
L-R: George Clark, Vice Chair of Tyne Coast College, Dr Lindsey Whiterod CBE DL, Chief Executive South Tyneside College, Paul Macking, Chairman of PMC Ltd, Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, Andrew Dawson, Managing Director, Castle, Tony Lister, Co-Founder and CEO, Castle, Dr Malcolm Grady, Chair of Governors
Cllr Tracey Dixon, Leader of South Tyneside Council, said:
We’re delighted to welcome Castle on board. They have a proven track record of successfully delivering on projects such as this.
As a local firm, their appointment will create jobs and boost the borough’s economy.
Momentum is building on this project now and people will start to see some activity on site over the coming weeks.
Our regeneration ambitions are focused on diversifying the town centre and boosting footfall. This development is going to bring in thousands of additional people and a new sense of vitality.
We, and our partners at the college, are going to create a modern campus fit for the future, giving young people from across South Tyneside and beyond the skills they need to access jobs in leading industries such as the green economy.
In public consultation, more than 80 per cent of people who responded supported the idea of the college relocation, believing it would lead to a livelier town centre and help to sustain new and existing businesses.
Dr Lindsey Whiterod CBE DL, Chief Executive of South Tyneside College, said:
We are delighted that a local contractor has been appointed to start pre-construction works.
This is an important next step in our vision to build a college that provides educational opportunities for the region’s young people and adults.
Our relocation will play a key role in boosting local business, equipping people with the work and life skills they need to succeed and supporting the economic growth of the region.
The campus’ main building will be accessed on King Street, with a double-height glass atrium behind the reception entrance. A second entrance will be provided along Barrington Street, linking the main campus with a refurbished Grade-II-listed building which will be brought back into use as part of the development.
Tony Lister, co-founder and CEO, Castle, said:
As a South Tyneside-based business we are delighted to have won the contract to deliver a project which is destined to have a profound, positive impact on the regeneration of the borough.Castle is passionate about the development and upskilling of all our staff, so the fact we are delivering a world class learning facility for the people of the borough, resonates very strongly with us.
The contract will enable us to employ additional staff and, whenever possible, we will call upon local suppliers and services to support our teams.
We look forward to liaising and cooperating closely with all key stakeholders involved in the project and, in particular, regular community engagement and communications will be a priority for us.
We will keep residents, businesses and retailers located in the town centre and beyond, up to date with developments on and around the site, as we move forward with the project.
Dr Paul Harvey, Programme Leader in Graphic and Digital Design at Tyne Metropolitan College has travelled to the Karlovy Vary Art Gallery as a special guest and collaborator of the Czech-British exhibition taking place at the Summerhouse in Ostrov, Czech Republic.
Stuckists in Ostrov is a joint exhibition of British and Czech Stuckists which launched on Friday 14 July 2023 and was one of the reference exhibitions that accompanied last year’s Venice Biennale of Fine Arts. Dr Paul Harvey along with Charles Thomson, Joe Machine and Ella Guru contributed to the knowledge of this branch of contemporary painting, that is in some respects is overlooked by conceptually eccentric schools of thought. The exhibition closes on Sunday, 1 October 2023.
Dr Paul Harvey said:
I was drawn to the language of Stuckism, where I found parallels with punk attitude and approach, which I first experienced in the original punk movement in 1977. The Stuckists manifesto made sense to me: I found it radical in approach. I appreciated the combination of humour and a deep spiritual message.
Stuckism, an artistic movement born in the context of English art history from which it draws its inspiration, has also attracted the attention of many artists outside the British Isles. It has a special resonance in the Czech Republic, which has been greeted with curious and surprising interest in English professional circles.
Diane Turner, Vice Principal, Tyne Metropolitan College said:
It is fantastic to have an academic of Dr Harvey’s pedigree on our creative team. Learners truly do benefit from studying their art programme with an internationally renowned professional practitioner.
TyneMet College has a variety of art and design qualifications including the level 3 extended diploma in art and design, with higher education options available in Graphic Design with Dr Paul Harvey and Fine Art with Sandra Earl.
To discover details of the art and design programme options available, click here.
My time at college were the best years of my life. I was surrounded by brilliant staff, coaches, and peers. I would absolutely recommend people to study at TyneMet. The college gave me opportunities I could not have got elsewhere. Playing football and travelling to places like New York and Barcelona were life changing experiences. The college also supported me with my education brilliantly, ensuring I maintained a balance with my sport and learning. Without the support I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
A group of our talented Level 3 Rugby Excellence students recently embarked on an exciting trip to Barcelona, Spain, to participate in an international fixture against the renowned Spanish team, Unio Esportivo Santboiana Rugby Club. The trip, organised in collaboration with our partners, Falcons Community Foundation and Rugby Tour Specialists, proved to be a remarkable experience for the students.
The team, accompanied by their coaches from the Newcastle Falcons and teaching staff from TyneMet College, set off for Spain on Sunday, July 2nd, filled with anticipation and determination. Throughout their stay, the students were guided and supported by the experienced coaches and teaching staff, ensuring they were well-prepared for the challenging fixture.
The action-packed itinerary commenced with an early morning training session at the prestigious Futbol Salou on Monday, July 3rd. The students put their skills into practice, developing their techniques and strategising for the upcoming match against Unio Esportivo Santboiana Rugby Club.
Later that evening, the much-anticipated fixture took place at 8pm, showcasing an impressive display of rugby talent from both teams. The match concluded with a final score of 12-31 in favor of the hosts, UES Rugby Club. The students showed great sportsmanship throughout the game and were privileged to be joined by Juan Pablo Socino, a former Newcastle Falcons player and current member of Unio Esportivo Santboiana Rugby Club. The captains of both teams exchanged club shirts as a symbol of respect.
Beyond the sporting fixtures, the students were treated to memorable experiences off the pitch as well. They enjoyed a fun-filled recovery session at a local waterpark, where they had the opportunity to unwind and bond as a team. Additionally, a final night tour presentation allowed the group to celebrate their achievements and experiences of the visit.
The success of this trip would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of our partners, Falcons Community Foundation and Rugby Tour Specialists. Their support and dedication to nurturing rugby talent provided the students with an exceptional opportunity to showcase their skills on an international platform.
Our Level 3 Rugby Excellence Programme in partnership with Newcastle Falcons, is based at Kingston Park Stadium, where students not only complete an NCFE Level 3 Diploma in Rugby Excellence, but also have the opportunity to train and learn within a professional rugby environment with expert coaches.
For more information and to apply for the course, click here.
With a mission to provide outstanding educational opportunities, we will benefit learners and the communities we serve. Doing so will satisfy our vision to grow further as a world-class educational facility, operating with a focus that develops the potential of all.
Following these paths will allow us to play a key role in ensuring the long-term prosperity of our region, through the creation of skills that drive economic growth.