Funding hopes to unlock Gateshead Quays Arena
The stalled Sage project is set to receive £24m of investment from the North East Combined Authority to get work started on the proposed 12,500-15,000 capacity scheme.
The project aims to strengthen the North East’s visitor economy and is part of a £104m region-wide package to fund the growth of the creative industries, including Sunderland’s Crown Works film studio.
Infrastructure and enabling works can now begin on the waterfront site, creating a stand-alone platform for a new arena, delivery of Gateshead Quays public realm, including a new performance square next to The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, and a green linear park connecting the riverside to Baltic Quarter.
The funding will also support the next stage of project development, including the process to identify a commercial operator for the arena, following extensive market engagement which confirmed that at least four major arena operators have expressed interest in the site.
The project is being progressed by Gateshead Council in partnership with the North East Combined Authority and development partners Ask:PATRIZIA, who are supporting the next phase of delivery and market engagement for the site.
Construction on the site between the Glasshouse and the Baltic art gallery was originally scheduled to begin in autumn 2023, having been unanimously approved in July that year.
Lendlease was appointed to build the 60,000 sq ft Sage International Conference Centre, phase one of the project, in August 2023.
Delivery of the 12,500 capacity arena was then to follow, however, rising costs for the project provoked significant delays and with no spades in the ground, the North East Combined Authority intervened last year and initiated a study into the feasibility and ongoing options for the prime riverside site.
Designed by HOK Architects, the project team also included planning consultants Lichfields, engineer Cundall, QS Core Five, Planit-IE, Crowd Dynamics, Vectos, and MEP consultants Desco.
Sage, a global technology company born and bred in the North East and a long-standing supporter of the Gateshead Quays vision, has welcomed the progress being made to move the development forward.
Gateshead Quays will be the first major scheme within the Newcastle-Gateshead Mayoral Development Zone, established last year with the aim to quicken developments within the zone.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, said: “We’re one step closer to bringing the biggest bands to the North East with a new arena at Gateshead Quays.
“This is a really exciting step forward for this project which will mean local people can enjoy more world-class shows right here on their doorstep.
“Our region is hugely proud of our home-grown talent like Sam Fender and Jade Thirlwall, but we need a modern arena to bring more big names to the North East.
“Our funding will get the site ready for the development, so people will be able to see enabling works start on-site soon. We’re speeding up developments that benefit local people and it would be amazing to see the world’s biggest bands playing on the banks of the Tyne in the near future.”
John Hughes, managing director of Ask Real Estate commented on behalf of Ask:PATRIZIA: “The Mayor’s financial commitment provides the vital momentum needed for this project.
“Our priority now is to identify the right operator partner; we expect to engage with the international market in early April to select a world-class operator for this transformational development.”
Leader of Gateshead Council cllr Martin Gannon, added: “Gateshead people are at the heart of everything we’re building for the future.
“The huge cash boost for Gateshead Quays is not just about preparing a site – it’s about laying the foundations for a world-class arena that will put Gateshead on the map and spark new energy, confidence and opportunity across our region.
“Residents have waited a long time to see momentum, and this funding means that works will turn ambition into visible, tangible progress.
“Gateshead deserves cultural spaces that inspire, places that bring people together and investment that creates jobs and opportunities for our people. This project is a major part of delivering that future, and it reflects the ambition, pride and potential of Gateshead.”
