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For further information please contact:

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Municipal Buildings, PO Box 34, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees

TS18 1LD Telephone: 01642 527312 E-mail: stocktontowncentre@stockton.gov.uk Website: www.stockton.gov.uk/regeneration

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Vision for Stockton Context & Opportunities Concept Plan We are delivering...

Contents

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We are working on... We are working towards... Next Steps

Image Credits:

CABE, G2 Photography, Gary Walsh, Matthew Hooton, Mike Kipling, Peter Fink, Peter Mernagh.

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Purpose The Town Centre Prospectus identifies and highlights improvement projects Stockton Borough Council are delivering and seeks to provide an insight into projects we are working on and

projects we are working towards. The Town Centre Prospectus builds upon the Draft Town Centre Urban Design Guide produced in 2010 and will act as means of showcasing developments that will come forward before

2015, supporting the long term masterplan for Stockton Town Centre. The purpose of the document is to showcase the potential of the High Street and seek views on the future regeneration of Stockton Town Centre. The prospectus is aimed at residents and

visitors, current and future businesses, and partners who have an interest in the long term development and growth of the Town Centre.

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Vision for Stockton

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Infinity Bridge 4

The future vision for Stockton Town Centre is for a modern, successful and vibrant market town with high

quality public spaces and a growing retail offer that serves the needs of residents of the Borough, High quality ‘Creative and Connected Spaces’ reinforce

the town as the North East’s ‘Capital of Street Arts’ with animated public spaces that support the town’s rich heritage in street entertainment.

Supported by thriving Universities and modern educational establishments, Stockton Town Centre and Riverside will be a focal point for cultural and leisure activity through the provision of year round festivals

and top class leisure facilities. Making the most of its unique built heritage through the conservation and enhancement of historic buildings. Continue to build on the asset of the River Tees and riverside area which

provides a high quality setting for new businesses, recreational activities and unique opportunities for riverside living.

Support new & Existing Town Centre Anchor

Stores

Strong Visual & Physical Links to

the Riverside

Vibrant Riverside Leisure

Facilities

Strong Town Centre Living Offer Improved

Transport Movement &

On-street Car Parking

Transformed Public Realm

Thriving Evening Economy

Local Businesses, New & Existing

Retailers

Improved &

Celebrated Rich Historic Fabric

Celebrated Market Town – Home of the Festival Year

Round

STOCKTON FUTURE

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02 Context & Opportunities

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Central Stockton covers the area shown on the plan above incorporating Stockton-on-

Tees Town Centre, the Victoria Estate to the north east of the centre and the Riverside and Chandlers Wharf to the south east.

This boundary follows the natural physical boundaries of the River Tees to the east and the ring road around the remainder of the centre.

Central Stockton incorporates the central retail, leisure and commercial hub of the

town, encompassing the High Street, Wellington Square and Castlegate Shopping Centres which are populated by independent and national retailers, the

Cultural Quarter - home to the Georgian Theatre and Green Dragon Studios; and the Civic Quarter containing a number of municipal functions and a state of the art

leisure centre.

Central Stockton is home to a year round programme of festivals and events

underpinned by the annual flagship event Stockton International Riverside Festival, the country’s largest, free street arts festival.

The Borough of Stockton has a population of 192,000, which is expected to grow by 5% by 2021 and over 1000 new homes are

planned to be built within a 1 mile radius of Central Stockton in the coming years.

Victoria Estate Splash

Municipal Buildings & Library Parish Church & Gardens Wellington Square Shopping Centre High Street 6

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1 Cultural Quarter Town Hall

River Tees Castlegate Shopping Centre Millennium Bridge Chandlers Wharf

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Rich historic buldings dating back to the 15th Century, including the Town Hall and Shambles Market Hall.

Urban green space at Parish Gardens and Trinity Green allow for informal recreation in the heart of the town and provide event space to support our annual festival programme.

Home to the region’s largest outdoor Market which recently celebrated its 700 year anniversary, supported by regular specialist markets as well as the annual ‘Stockton Sparkles’ Christmas market.

Home to the internationally renowned annual Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF) and Stockton Weekender (former Fringe Festival).

State of the art Splash Leisure Centre situated within the core of the town centre, incorporating a swimming pool, newly refurbished fitness suite and sports hall.

Flagship North Shore regeneration scheme home of the award winning Infinity Bridge. Proposals include 500 homes, business space, and extension of existing university campus all within one mile of the high street.

What does What does StocktonStockton

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Excellent cultural facilities at ARC, Cultural Quarter and the soon to be refurbished Globe Theatre.

Shops to suit all budgets from the Wellington Square and Castlegate Shopping Centres, to our many independent traders.

River Tees running through the heart of the town provides a destination for events, competitions, numerous recreational pursuits such as Stockton Rat Race & Triathlon and is home to a number of fantastic leisure facilities.

University of Durham Queens Campus and Stockton Riverside College, incorporating linked courses with the University of Teesside, provide state of the art facilities for further learning. Situated on the south bank of the River Tees, less than one mile from the High Street. These establishments are home to over 4000 students.

Multi-million pound investment in the Tees Barrage White Water Course to upgrade existing facilities to world class standards. Situated less than a mile from the town centre the course will attract numerous international standard water sport events and will host training camps ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Excellent public transport links served by frequent bus services, rail links at Stockton and Thornaby train stations. and over 2600 town centre parking spaces. Multi-million pound improvements to the local bus network and Tees Valley Metro are underway.

have to have to offer?offer?

Safest town in the Tees Valley, Gold medallist and winner of ‘Best City’ in Britain in Bloom, and crowned ‘Best in Europe’ achieving gold standard in Europe’s biggest envi-ronmental competi-tion ‘Entente Florale.’

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03 Concept Plan

Tees House, High Street 10

The town’s most recent history recognises

its role as the North East’s ‘Capital of

Street Arts’. Stockton’s International River-side Festival (SIRF), now in its 24th year, has created an important signature and personality for the town; a personality that

the proposals within this document will build upon. The Council’s commitment to develop SIRF and other annual festivals is a demonstration of our efforts to improve the

economic and social prospects of Stockton by increasing the numbers of people visiting the town centre for shopping, for business and to spend leisure time. In doing

so, helping to secure existing shops and markets and to attract new retailers, new entertainment, leisure and hospitality

businesses into the High Street.

The projects set out in this Prospectus aim to capture the spirit of SIRF and reflect it in

the improvements we will make to the Town Centre. This will see enhancements to the built environment that provide character and interest through the

materials we use and the new public spaces that we create. By opening up areas and introducing unusual designs and features that will enhance the streetscape, we aim

to encourage people to view the High Street in a different way to enjoy spending more time there and to create the same vibrancy and excitement of SIRF all-year-

around. The town’s new creative and connected spaces will also continue to enhance the

more traditional roles of a town centre.

The concept plan that follows includes a new central square which will build on the

existing heritage assets to provide a much needed heart and focal point to the Town Centre. This high quality piece of public realm will be complemented by a series of

open spaces which will support both the market and annual programmed events to create a central hub of activity and an inviting environment 7 days a week.

This heart is surrounded by the existing shopping opportunities and cultural and historic quarters. Improved links to the

riverside, fringe areas and neighbouring transport hubs is essential to attracting surrounding residents, workers and visitors to the Town Centre. Gateways into the

Town Centre will create a distinct sense of arrival and be easily accessible from the major transport infrastructure.

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The Importance of Public Realm

Public realm can be a street, square or a park that is accessible whether publicly or privately

owned, 24 hours a day for everyone to see, use and enjoy. The success of a public realm can depend on

its appearance, its accessibility and flexibility. Building on the town’s rich heritage it is proposed to provide radical improvements to

the public realm in Stockton Town Centre which delivered in conjunction with other town centre investment, will provide a distinct sense of place and increased footfall

throughout the year.

Cathedral Gardens, Manchester. Top: Sheffield Peace Gardens, Bottom: Oldbury Civic Fountain.

Illustrative examples of public realm:

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High Street improvements are proposed to create public space that will build upon our existing heritage assets to provide a much needed heart and focus for the Town Centre. This high quality piece of public space will introduce flexible spaces, a dedicated market square, an events area to the north to facilitate travelling markets, and the potential for areas of greenery creating a central hub of activity that will provide an inviting environment 7 days a week.

Norton Road is part of wider plans we are working on to enhance the Northern Gateway into Stockton.

North Shore Gateway plays a vital role in the wider regeneration of Stockton Town Centre. We want to optimise its riverside frontage with high quality development and public space that provides clear and strong connections to the Town Centre.

Riverside plays a vital role in supporting Stockton’s International Riverside Festival and provides generous amounts of attractive urban public space. It is intended to reinforce this by creating improved linkages to the Town Centre, ‘opening up’ physical barriers to connect the Town Centre back to the riverside with views down to Infinity Bridge.

Cultural Quarter is already a vibrant area with Green Dragon Studios and Green Dragon Yard and we want to build on their success.

Southern Gateway and its proposed re-alignment of Riverside Road as part of the Tees Valley Major Bus Scheme will increase the amount of potential riverfront development opportunities at the south end of the Town Centre.

Historic Quarter builds on the foundations established by Stockton Heritage in Partnership Initiative (SHiP). A Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) is currently being developed as a partnership between Stockton Borough Council, Heritage Lottery Fund and private property owners.

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Development Vision

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We are delivering...

North High Street

Central High Street South High Street

Globe Theatre

Stockton Central Library Historic Quarter Investment

Artist led design & animation of Public Space

We are working on... Church Road Boulevard

Event Space Castlegate Enhancements

Cultural Quarter

Creative Business Centre

Improvements to Norton Road

Redevelopment of Victoria Estate Investment in Church Road

Development on North Shore Gateway

Delivery of Infinity View Re-use of Swallow Hotel

Development of West Row Gap Sites Development of Southern Gateway

Provision of a Food Store

We are working towards...

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Non geographical

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04 We are delivering...

Proposed Improvements to Dovecot Street

Key projects that will transform the image of Stockton Town Centre, support the growth and development of the leisure economy and put in place the building blocks for an expanding retail and business sector.

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Opportunities exist to reintroduce short stay car parking within the High Street as

part of the radical public realm initiative that will incorporate improvements to the public transport network as part of the Tees Valley Major Bus Scheme. This introduction

of short stay parking at the northern end of the high street will contribute to a total of approximately 50 new spaces on the High Street.

Changes to the existing High Street layout will enhance the pedestrian experience and

coupled with improvements to existing retail frontages, lighting and refurbishment of the Globe Theatre will create a vibrant gateway to the northern end of the High

Street. North High Street improvements will tie into the proposals for Central Square via

the new Infinity View Plaza that create improved physical linkages to the riverside with direct views of the award winning Infinity Bridge.

Concept visual of the potential view looking north towards the Globe Theatre. Concept visual of the potential view looking east across Infinity Plaza towards Infinity Bridge.

Kensington High Street, London:

An example of improved public realm with unnecessary street clutter removed to provide a

street which works for both the pedestrian and

the transport user.

North High Street 1

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Concept visual of potential view across Central Square looking south towards the Town Hall.

Central High Street

The key design aim behind Central Square is to create a piece of high quality public

realm that provides a central focus for the High Street 7 days a week whist improving the setting of the listed Town Hall. This central square will provide an intense hub

of activity both during the day and into the evening which supports and reinforces the linkages between the two main shopping centres, Cultural Quarter and Arc.

Although the primary function of this space is to create an all year round focus,

providing informal opportunities to sit, stay and enjoy, it is envisaged that it will form an essential part of a series of flexible spaces within the Town Centre that will

support the council events programme including the Stockton International Riverside Festival.

We are going to undertake a separate study to establish the exact space required to facilitate all year round events.

Examples of public realm design.

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South High Street

Concept visual of potential view south from the Market Square.

Further opportunities exist to reintroduce short stay car parking within the High

Street. This introduction of short stay parking at the southern end of the High Street will

contribute to a total of approximately 50 new spaces on the High Street. Proposals for South High Street include a

dedicated market space concentrated

around the Market Cross and Shambles Market Hall with a new layout, stall size

and design. Ongoing £60m investment in bus infrastructure includes improved bus

shelters, real-time display and improved reliability. A new dedicated space for taxis will be provided as part of the major public realm improvements and road

reconfiguration.

Examples of uniform market stalls and Layout

Top & Middle: Darlington Bottom: Newark

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The Globe

Works will begin on the £4millon plus refurbishment of The Globe in 2011

re-opening as a 2500 capacity touring music and live entertainment venue in 2012.

Supporting the redevelopment of The Globe, adjacent properties will be brought back into use to enhance the evening / leisure offer within the Town Centre.

Building on the refurbishment of The Globe, the public realm in this area will provide an attractive but functional

environment to support the future use of The Globe as an entertainment venue. As part of the proposals new surfacing, street trees and drop-off bays will be provided to

complement short stay parking and wider improvements to North High Street.

O2 Academy - Newcastle Brixton Academy - London

Artist impression of The Globe at night.

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Stockton Central Library Works on a £1.9m redevelopment of Stockton Council's Central Library is

underway. The existing building is undergoing a transformation which will include

investment in new self-service technology, an enhanced reference and study facility, a local family library suite, improved ICT facilities, a new conference room and a

new cafe. The redevelopment will also bring together the Customer Services Contact Centre and

Cashiers Service all under one roof - offering people a one-stop-shop for information, council services and the state-of-the-art library.

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Historic Quarter Investment The rich historic fabric of Stockton’s Heritage Quarter is in the process of being

restored through the SHiP scheme and a further £3.3m will be invested if proposals for Heritage Lottery Funding are successful.

This scheme will focus on 12 properties of historic importance, investment will see vacant floor space being brought back into use, building & shop frontages improved

which will see physical changes to the central core of the High Street complemented by the delivery of high quality public space.

Buildings identified for investment under the THi bid.

Concept visuals of public realm improvements to Dovecot Street.

Building on this investment the Council will look to provide a small grants scheme to

enable the improvement of shop fronts in accordance with the forthcoming Shop Front & Advertisement Design Guide SPD.

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Artist led design and animation of public space

Building on the concept of Stockton’s signature as the North East’s ’Capital of

Street Arts’ it is intended to encourage the inclusion within all projects, a bespoke element of additional interest. Embracing a shift from the traditional approach of

including physical artworks to embellish or populate a space, to the full involvement of creative practitioners in the concept and design, from the outset of the projects.

Such integral, artistic interventions could also include the use of light and projected imagery. The approach will not only result

in lighting of the town in the traditional sense of projecting light on to significant buildings, bridges and streets; but might also create transient, moving, and

interactive light and sound installations, generating unexpected experiences and encounters, prompting people to view the space in a different way and be aware of

their place within it.

We might describe it as an attempt to create the ghosts or echoes of festival

moments, providing subtle reminders of the Town Centre’s emerging personality as a festival town, and ensuring projects of real distinction which are rooted in a sense of

the place.

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Green Dragon Yard 23

Church Road Boulevard View along Church Road looking towards North Shore. View outside 16 Church Road

The vision for Church Road is to utilise the linear route into the Town Centre and implement street

tree planting to provide a green boulevard connection to and from North Shore. Phase 1 of the project will provide opportunities for short stay car parking outside 16 Church Road and from

Gloucester House down to North Shore gyratory. An optional phase 2 project may seek to rearrange the paving at the Civic Plaza to open up further short stay car parking outside Splash and

Municipal Buildings.

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Events Space

Creation of a dedicated events space to support SIRF and year

round programme of events capable of accommodating up to 15,000 people with direct links to the Town Centre allowing easy

movement between the High Street and the riverside.

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Castlegate Enhancements

Cultural Quarter

Opportunities to work with the owners of the Castlegate Centre to deliver a number of improvements, including

the creation of improved physical links between the High Street and Millennium Bridge.

Creative Business Centre

Bringing existing vacant property in the Town Centre back into use, through the creation of a digital and creative hub to support existing and projected demand for this high growth sector of

the local economy. The facility will provide direct and functional links to the existing ‘Digital City’ network and wider creative industries cluster including The University of Teesside.

Opportunities to further enhance the Cultural Quarter will complement the existing public sector investment in its

historic buildings and public realm to consolidate the hubs of cultural activities at the Georgian Theatre, Green Dragon Studios and Calvin House workshops. Optimizing use of the historic buildings in the Quarter for further creative industries

live/work accommodation and expansion of activity into the yards and ginnels with acoustic performances, markets and outdoor eating will add to the niche offer of the Town Centre.

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Church Road Boulevard Artists Impression

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Norton Road

Victoria Estate

Norton Road is a part of a wider Regeneration Strategy called The Northern Gateway. The Northern Gateway area will see major regeneration take place

over the next decade with over 600 new dwellings, a new secondary education Academy, an iconic youth services facility and associated public realm and highway infrastructure. This will transform this area of Stockton in the coming years.

Identified as a major housing regeneration site, Victoria is part of the Northern Gateway Initiative. Although the site demonstrates the benefits of

green infrastructure within the town centre, the area is currently occupied by 1950’s social housing blocks which have become dated and visually do not represent current trends in town centre living.

Opportunities exist to maximize the future land use of current local authority and neighboring landowner assets along Church Road. Potential future uses

including a hotel and restaurants would support the redevelopment of the Globe Theatre, North Shore Gateway and aspirations to grow the evening economy in this part of the Town Centre.

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North Shore Gateway North Shore is a flagship regeneration scheme of regional importance on the Stockton riverside. Building on the success of

Infinity Bridge and the forthcoming construction of the home zone, proposals for the gateway to North Shore will create new and exciting development incorporating public space and pedestrian linkages to the Town Centre. It is envisaged that the

site as a whole, once completed, will transform this area of Stockton’s riverside and have great economic benefits for Stockton Town Centre, creating a new vibrant place to live, work and play.

Infinity View As part of a wider regeneration strategy to create better links to the riverside, the Infinity View Plaza and Infinity View gateway seek to achieve a high visual and physical impact between the

riverside and the High Street. The first phase of this delivery is to redevelop the site which Lindsay House currently occupies. This will provide the opportunity to open up views and create a high quality plaza that will

connect the High Street to the area surrounding the wind sculpture, whilst still providing built form on the High Street. The second phase could potentially involve new development on Bishop Street car park providing opportunities for ground floor cafes/restaurants with residential above.

Swallow Hotel The Swallow Hotel occupies a prominent location in the Town Centre. The building currently lies vacant with no

immediate prospect of a new operator taking control of the building. The Council will continue to work with the owners of the building to ensure the site plays a full and meaningful role in the regeneration of the Town Centre.

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Food Store

West Row Gap Sites

Southern Gateway

Attracting a major food store operator into the Town Centre is a key aspiration for Stockton and will act as a major asset in terms of strengthening the retail offer and increasing footfall. The council will continue to work with agents and operators to identify and assemble suitable sites that will facilitate the delivery of a food store within the Town Centre.

Situated on the western edge of the High Street, the former bingo hall site has been identified as a development opportunity that would upgrade derelict land to provide

sustainable employment uses. It is envisaged that development would seek to enhance street frontage treatment both on High Street and West Row to emphasise the site as a key gateway to the Town Centre. Any proposed scheme must respond to the scale and massing of the adjacent buildings and the relationship to streets and spaces in the surrounding area. It is

envisaged that buildings will be generally a minimum of 2 storeys rising to no more than 3 storeys. The building or series of buildings will be required to relate to the existing built form and should reflect the historic context on the area making reference to the burgage plots that once lined the High Street.

Southern Gateway comprises the Chandlers Wharf estate adjacent to the River Tees and a development site to the south of the High Street. In the short to medium

term opportunities exist to bring forward an iconic gateway development on the site adjacent to the High Street to provide a sense of arrival and to achieve better linkages between the riverside and existing key assets within the Town Centre. The Council will continue to work with the owners and occupiers of the Chandlers

Wharf estate to maximize the potential of this key gateway site.

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07 Next Steps

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• Globe Theatre refurbishment on site.

• North Shore Home Zone

on site.

• Stockton Central Library refurbishment on site.

• Improvements to

heritage properties begin. • Improvements to

Public Realm in SHiP area underway. • Site preparation &

clearance for Southern Gateway junction enhancements complete.

• Council adoption of Town Centre Urban

Design Guide

• North High Street public realm

improvements on site. • North High Street public realm

improvements complete. • First phase of short stay

parking on High Street at

Northern Loop open. • Globe Theatre opens.

• First phase of improvements to Castlegate Centre.

• South High Street public realm improvements including market square on site.

• South High Street public realm works including

Market Square complete. • Second phase of short

stay parking on High

Street at Southern Loop open.

• Central Square public

realm improvements including Infinity View Plaza on site.

• Southern Gateway junction improvements on site.

• Cultural Business Centre opens.

Further improvements to Castlegate Centre.

• Central Square public realm improvements

including Infinity View Plaza complete.

• Further enhancements

to Cultural Quarter.

North Shore Gateway on site.

Southern Gateway development on site.

Infinity View development on site.

Church Road investment underway.

West Row gap sites development on Site.

Victoria Estate regeneration underway.

Improvements to Norton Road underway.

Parkfield & Swainby Road Housing Regeneration

Year Round Programme of Festivals

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Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Municipal Buildings,

PO Box 34, Church Road,

Stockton-on-Tees TS18 1LD

Telephone: 01642 527312

E-mail: stocktontowncentre@stockton.gov.uk Website: www.stockton.gov.uk/regeneration