Jump to content

Regent Centre

Edit links
Coordinates: 55°00′42″N 1°37′26″W / 55.0117°N 1.624°W / 55.0117; -1.624
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jamesrules90 (talk | contribs) at 18:50, 17 November 2011 (Updated). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the transport interchange, see Regent Centre Interchange.
Regent Centre logo

Regent Centre is a large business park in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The Centre is home to a variety of companies, including banking group Northern Rock whose Head Office is located on the site. The Centre has its own transport interchange with a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro and integrated bus station.

History

Some of the Regent Centre buildings

North British Properties started to build Regent Centre in 1970 and finished in 1981; at completion it was the largest office complex in Europe, covering a total area of 11 acres (4.5 ha).[1] The current owner-developer is the Fordgate Group. The land is the former site of the Regent Pit of the Coxlodge Colliery. The centre unveiled a new logo and identity in late 2008; this new logo is similar in style to the one used for Regent Point. The centre's slogan is "Better for Business".

Occupants

Regent Centre houses the Regional HQ of HM Revenue & Customs as well as the DVLA and HSE. Other tenants include the Entec, Imass, Eaga, the Labour Party,[2] and Gleeds. Notable former tenants have included The Sage Group. The Newcastle regional centre for the Open University was housed here, although it was relocated to Gateshead in 2009.[3]

Location

Within walking distance of Regent Centre, there is a Metro station, Gosforth Academy, Gosforth Library and Customer Service Centre, and Gosforth Leisure Centre, comprising several amenities including swimming pools and gym. There is also an Asda superstore close by, which in mid 2007 had an extension built which houses a Restaurant. Across from ADSA there is a furniture store, which used to be a Jaguar Cars showroom. Gosforth High Street is also within a few minutes walk. St Charles Primary school is located on Regent Farm Road, across from the Northern Rock building, between Regent Centre and a housing estate, Regent Farm Estate.

Regent Point

Regent Point logo
Regent Point during construction in October 2008

Planning applications were granted to expand and modernise a large section of the Regent Centre site, which is adjacent to the Metro line. In April 2007, work began on this area of land which is also called Regent Point;[4] building work began in early 2008 on the 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) building.[5] It will be a four story office building with a glazed corner tower and modelled to be similar to the existing Regent Centre buildings. As of the end mid-2011, Regent Point is vacant.

This plot was vacant from many years, as the original Regent Centre building which occupied (Clayton House) it was demolished in 1999.[6] There have been many different accepted plans for this site, including plans for a 5 story building in 1998. In 2004 there were plans for a 7 story building with retail space on the ground floor, however these plans were withdrawn in July 2005.

Developer Fordgate Group has appointed Bowmer and Kirkland as the main contractor for Regent Point. The architects are Howarth Litchfield Partnership, The consulting engineers are Cundall, and Home Stretch Properties Ltd. are also involved in the project. Caunton Engineering have also supplied and erected over 600 tonnes of beam and column structural steelwork.[7] The building has a BREEAM rating of "Excellent".[8]

Northern Rock

See also: The Tower (Gosforth)
During the final stages of construction of The Tower building (October 2008).

The Northern Rock bank has its headquarters on a site that is adjacent to, although not technically a part of Regent Centre. This complex is called Northern Rock House. The Red Box Design Group has been involved with the development of all of the currently standing buildings for the bank.

The focal point of Regent Centre since 1965[9] had been Northern Rock's old tower 7 storey building. In early 2006 this building was demolished[10] and its replacement, simply known as The Tower, that is 10 storeys high and cost £35 million was completed in November 2008.[11] Two of Northern Rocks other buildings on the site were completed in the 1990s, two further buildings were built in the early 2000s.

Northern Rock had financial difficulties in 2007 due to the subprime mortgage crisis and was nationalised in 2008. This led to the company deciding to downsize, including job cubs and deciding to put this new tower building up for let or sale.[12] Newcastle City Council spent £22 million purchasing the building, and let it out to another firm, a company set up by the council with support services firm Eaga, on a 25 year lease.[13][14]

Buildings

One of the Regent Centre buildings

With the new developments, as of March 2009, there is empty office space to let.[15][16] There is space available in Regent Point, Horsley House North, Dobson House and Eldon House West.[17] The buildings are named after well known local industrialists and architects, such as John Dobson and Lord Eldon. The Grainger Suite (soon to be renamed Gosforth Services Offices) is located in Dobson House.

Buildings
  • Arden House
  • Bulman House
  • Horsley House North
  • Horsley House
  • Eldon House West
  • Northumbria House
  • Dobson House
  • Eldon House East
  • Regent Point

References

  1. ^ "Regent Centre". Mayfield Property. Retrieved 2008-10-09. [dead link]
  2. ^ "Labour move fuels speculation of poll". The Journal. 2004-05-19. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
  3. ^ "Network equal of best in world". The Journal. 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-10-09. [dead link]
  4. ^ "Location that has stayed well ahead of the game; commercial property: focus on regent centre Work has started on the 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) Regent Point office building at the Regent Centre, Gosforth. Joint agents Paul Nicholson and Tim Evans look at the background to Gosforth's Regent Centre, one of the region's largest and most successful business locations". The Journal. 2007-06-02. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  5. ^ "Gosforth developers make their Point; commercial property". The Journal. 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  6. ^ "Traffic fears halt office bid". The Evening Chronicle. 2006-02-16. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  7. ^ "Regent Point – makes Newcastle Commercial Centre a million". Caunton Engineering. 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  8. ^ "BREEAM Awards". Bowmer and Kirkland. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
  9. ^ "Bank unveils tower revamp plans". BBC News. 2004-11-18. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  10. ^ "Northern Rock Update". Thompsons of Prudhoe. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  11. ^ "Tower becomes cornerstone of campus". Red Box Design Group. 2008-11-28. Retrieved 2008-12-19. [dead link]
  12. ^ "Northern Rock redundancy consultation ends". Northern Rock. 2008-08-29. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  13. ^ "Newcastle Council spends £22m on Northern Rock's Tower". Property Week. 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  14. ^ "2,300 jobs for Northern Rock tower as Newcastle Council agrees deal". The Journal. 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  15. ^ "Regent Point property details". Knight Frank. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  16. ^ "Regent Centre property details". Knight Frank. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  17. ^ "Available space". Regent Centre. Retrieved 2009-03-03.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Regent Centre.
Historic photographs

55°00′42″N 1°37′26″W / 55.0117°N 1.624°W / 55.0117; -1.624

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Regent_Centre&oldid=461150436"