North Shields will have a revitalised town centre that is an attractive and vibrant place to visit, with Howard Street and Saville Street seen as a focus for arts and culture destinations and leisure, both in the daytime and into the evening.
North Shields historically has a rich heritage of culture, arts and performance and it is key that the town centre embraces this. Through public realm improvements and exciting cultural activities, we want to create a hub for cultural activity in the town centre, creating new jobs and business opportunities and enhancing our visitor offer.
What is in the High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ)?
The North Shields High Street Heritage Action Zone was a four-year programme of physical improvements, community and cultural activities between 2020 and 2024. It was a place-based scheme designed to secure lasting improvements to historic high streets and the communities who use them.
The Council was awarded £590,000 from Historic England through their High Street Heritage Action Zone programme. The funding formed part of a £2.46million project, which included a Council contribution of nearly £1million, to revitalise the Northumberland Square Conservation Area, focussing on Howard Street and Northumberland Square, through a series of projects.
The funding was used to champion and revive the conservation area, changing perceptions of heritage. The scheme supported sustainable economic and cultural growth to restore and enhance local historic character, making the conservation area an attractive, engaging and vibrant place for people to live, work and play.
This involved repairing and restoring key architectural heritage buildings through a third-party grants scheme aimed at businesses and residents around the square and the surrounding area.
Where is the Heritage Action Zone?
The Heritage Action Zone is made up of Howard Street, Northumberland Square and Northumberland Place, as shown by the map, with the historic Square at its heart, and features a Conservation Area and a number of listed buildings.
What we’ve done already
Howard Street
This phase of ambitious restoration work to North Shields town centre is now complete. The project has seen the redevelopment of Howard Street and surrounding area, creating a new Cultural Quarter for North Shields to support sustainable economic and cultural growth to restore and enhance local historic character.
Howard Street offers a shared highway surface for occasional vehicle use, creating a new pedestrian and cyclist-friendly cultural scene, giving a nod to the original historic footway geometry. An avenue of trees and seating has been installed leading up to Northumberland Square from the Fish Quay, as part of our tree planting programme which contributes to the borough’s net-zero 2030 ambitions.
The Exchange
This landmark listed building is actually three buildings, designed by famous North East architects Dobson and Green in the 1840s. Originally functioning as a Magistrates' Court, savings bank, museum, civic offices and Mechanics’ Institute before becoming the town hall. With elegant facades onto Norfolk Street, Saville Street and Howard Street, it houses the Exchange Theatre and Brown's Bar. We were able to offer significant funding for much-needed building repairs to the roofs, chimneys, windows and masonry, which are now complete.
Northumberland Square
Northumberland Square is the town centre’s only green space, and the opportunity to create a grassed events space has been embraced following extensive restoration works in September 2022.
Through third party grants several buildings around the Square have been restored to their former glory through meticulous repairs to masonry, roofing and windows.
Our Cultural Programme
VODA North Tyneside helped produce an engaging and interactive programme of online activity focusing on the culture and heritage of our Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) in North Shields.
Funded by Historic England, the work explored new ways of engaging diverse communities bringing together local charities, businesses, North Tyneside Council, volunteers and residents to share stories about life in our HAZ whilst also collecting and preserving new memories using film, photography, podcast and music.
A range of activities were delivered by local organisations including Remembering the Past, Helix Arts and the North Shields Heritology Project.
Who’s involved?
The partners involved in the North Shields HAZ are North Tyneside Council, Historic England, VODA, Remembering the Past, The Exchange, North Shields Business Chamber, Fish Quay Productions, local artists, Helix Arts and North Shields Heritology Project.
Contact the HAZ team
For more information telephone: (0191) 643 6416 or email Haz@northtyneside.gov.uk
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