North Shields Transport Hub has been shortlisted for four prestigious industry awards for its design and green credentials. It is now in the running for a further two, on top of three awards the project already picked up last year.
The Transport Hub was opened in September 2023 and is the first carbon net zero building in North Tyneside. It promotes cleaner travel by connecting bus services, Metro, taxis and cycle routes.
A high-quality, open waiting area creates a safe and comfortable environment for passengers. It has a Changing Places toilet, with extra equipment and space for people with a disability.
Outside is an open town square area with seating, planting and space for events. In March 2024 it was officially named as Thomas Brown Square in honour of a George Medal-winning World War II hero from North Shields.
Public artwork has been installed in the Hub, designed by local artist, Colin Davies and young people from the area.
The £12.994 million Transport Hub and town square was funded through the Transforming Cities Fund via Transport North East, North of Tyne Combined Authority and North Tyneside Council. The main contractors were Willmott Dixon Construction and Napper Architects.
The six current awards are as follows:
The scheme is one of 10 finalists in the national Construction News Awards Low Carbon Project of the Year, with the winner due to be announced in July.
The award entry summary says: “North Shields Transport Hub combines innovative design choices with low carbon materials and renewable energy sources to achieve net zero in construction and operation. A first for both Willmott Dixon and the customer North Tyneside Council.
“By enhancing building performance and adding renewables, the building generates more energy than it consumes annually.”
The Transport Hub has made the shortlist for the Constructing Excellence North East Climate Action award. It is one of seven finalists and the winner will be announced in June.
It is on the regional shortlist for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Awards in both the North East Public Sector and Community Benefit categories. The winners will be announced in June.
The Transport Hub has been entered in the Royal Town Planning Institute Awards for Planning Excellence, with a shortlist due to be announced in May, and in the Local Authority Building Control Excellence Awards, which is currently open for entries.
The building has already won three awards at the Institution of Structural Engineers (Northern Counties) Awards 2023: Large Project Award, Zero Carbon Award and Most Collaborative Project.
All the above entries were submitted by Willmott Dixon or Napper Architects.
Cllr Carl Johnson, Deputy Mayor of North Tyneside and cabinet member responsible for Regeneration, Economic Development and Culture said: “The Transport Hub and town square are part of our ambitious plans to improve North Shields and transform the town into a residential location of choice and an attractive, family-friendly destination.
“It brings people into North Shields to enjoy our newly-regenerated public spaces, venues in and around North Shields Cultural Quarter, and the vibrant Fish Quay which is being linked to the town centre by the Riverside Embankment Walkway.
“It helps people choose greener, cleaner forms of travel and it’s the first in North Tyneside to be fully carbon-neutral as part of the Council’s ambition to be carbon net zero by 2030.
”It’s great to see it being nominated for so many prestigious awards in recognition of its innovative and sustainable design.”
Nick Corrigan, North East director at Willmott Dixon said: “An incredible team ethic has been key to creating the first-of-its-kind sustainable North Shields Transport Hub and we’re thrilled to see everyone’s hard work recognised so widely.
“Together with North Tyneside Council, Napper Architects and the entire project team, we prioritised sustainability at every stage of construction, reducing the amount of embodied carbon by 511 tonnes (48% of the total), compared to the original building design.
“The result is a fully carbon-neutral transport hub, that is forecast to generate more energy on site than it consumes every year and is already making a fantastic difference to the local community.”
Alan Rees, Director at Napper Architects said: “Net Zero carbon design is central to the task of addressing climate change as buildings currently account for more than a third of energy-related carbon emissions through construction and operation.
“The design of North Shields Transport Hub, from material selections to operational use, was led by the overriding requirement set by North Tyneside Council for Net Zero. The project team committed wholeheartedly to this vision from the start and lifecycle carbon assessments were undertaken throughout the project to consider the whole life performance of structural and material options to inform the design.
“Collaboration was key to successfully delivering the project to cost and programme, and community engagement has ensured the building was designed with security, safety, accessibility, and inclusion in mind. The town square links the transport hub, the Metro station, and the shopping area together helping to create a vibrant town centre and provide better access to sustainable public transport.”
