Plans for garden given green light

centre on the 10-acre plot is expected to be completed by 2021.

SGM Europe, who operate the Metro Radio Arena site in Newcastle, have confirmed they will relocate to the Gateshead site, freeing up a swathe of land off Scotswood Road for regeneration by Newcastle City Council.

The decision will be made at a special meeting of the combined authority’s leadership board where another major spending commitment is also on the agenda: the International Advanced Manufacturing Park.

Council leaders are expected to give the green light for £41m of spending to support construction of the huge infrastructure project.

The manufacturing site, which will be built close to Nissan off the A19 and tap into the success of the car industry, is expected to attract £300m of private investment and create 5,000 high quality jobs.

It’s not the only big development in the pipeline for Gateshead Quayside.

Planning bosses gave the go-ahead for a spectacular garden made of shipping containers for a vacant plot near the Tyne Bridge on December 6.

The striking installation, which is designed by Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist Diarmuid Gavin, is expected to be open by summer 2018. PLANS designed by a Chelsea Flower Show star for a spectacular garden made of shipping containers on the Quayside have been approved.

The spectacular installation, which will house cafes and shops inside the impressive structure, will sit close to the Tyne Bridge on the Gateshead side of the river.

Although it will be temporary, it’s expected to be in place for several years as an attraction during big events like the Great Exhibition of the North in 2018 and the NewcastleGateshead World Transplant Games in 2019.

The striking project will sit at Hillside Quay, the spot which used to be home to the Tuxedo Princess and Royale party boats.

Designer Diarmuid Gavin, who presents BBC TV show Gardeners’ World, has promised to ‘create a remarkable garden at the heart of Tyneside with a majestic and unique design’.

The National Trust and volunteers will be involved in the upkeep of the garden and the site is expected to create 100 jobs and attract 200,000 people every year.

When it is opened in 2018, it promises to provide a tranquil space in the heart of the city where families can relax and food can be grown.

As well as the garden, there will be a three story shipping container plaza which will house cafes, shops and a performance space.

There will also be a brewery, tattooist and bike repair hub on site.

It’s not the only project in the pipeline which could transform the Gateshead side of the Quayside in coming years.

Next week, the North East