Grainger Town, Newcastle

Grainger Town is the historic heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, based around classical streets built by Richard Grainger in the 1830’s and 1840’s. 40% of buildings in the area are listed as being of historical and architectural importance.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, this once prosperous area of the city was overtaken by new centres of retail and commercial activity which eroded the economic base and left properties to fall into disrepair. Around one million sq ft of floorspace was unoccupied and the area’s residential population was falling. The Grainger Town Project was established in 1997 in partnership with Newcastle City Council, English Partnership and English Heritage with the aim of reversing this trend.

The award winning Grainger Town is recognised nationally and internationally as an exemplar approach to regenerating an historic quarter of a city centre.

Within Grainger Town sits the much derided Westgate House. Built in the early 1970s, and often cited as being one of the most hideous buildings in the country, the former office building is regarded as being an intrusion on the surrounding historical buildings. During the planning phase for the regeneration of Grainger Town, Westgate House’s demolition was identified as being a high priority. One NorthEast, along with its partners, is seeking more appropriate redevelopment of the site.

Click here to watch the demolition of Westgate House