Centre West : Community at our heart

A beacon for the West End’s future
 

For half a century, the West Road Fire Station played a vital part in keeping us all safe, as a key base for the city’s firefighters. Now this landmark site is set for an exciting new role at the heart of the West End’s revival.
 

Ambitious plans are set to replace the fire station with a striking, eco-friendly building with an accent on community, enterprise and training. Backed by Centre West and the environmental charity Groundwork (South Tyneside and Newcastle), the scheme was chosen from a shortlist of six by Newcastle City Council.
 

"This can be a great opportunity for the West End’s future," said Brian Hannah, Chair of Centre West. "Our aim is to develop a landmark building to create jobs, attract people into the area and show the world that the West End is open for business.
 

"This can be a real focal point for the multi-talented, multi-ethnic community of the West End."
 

The three-storey development will include business units to help fledgling enterprises get started, while a recruitment service will help residents into training, learning and work placements.
 

Meanwhile, a ground floor brasserie will attract visitors to the area, while a colourful artisans’ mall will showcase local talent in areas like fashion, jewellery and crafts.
 

And the scheme will aim for high environmental standards, building on the success of Groundwork’s award-winning EcoCentre in South Tyneside.
 

"This is a hugely exciting project, for local people, for the economy and for the environment," said Groundwork’s Lionel Hehir. "It can be a real beacon for the challenges of the 21^st century, with a low carbon footprint."
 

Over the coming months, we’ll be working hard to share the latest project details with local people through events and newsletters. If you’d like to find out more, contact Sandra English on 0191 277 2863 or email sandra.english@newcastle.gov.uk.