Multi-million pound design centre proposed for North East
Plans for a £13m design centre have been submitted to Gateshead Borough Council.
One North East, the regional development agency for North East England, says it expects Design Centre North to drive growth in design, innovation and product development for the regional design economy that it estimates to be worth £600m.
Three key stakeholders would fund the Centre, with One North East providing £4.4m for the project, The European Regional Development Fund contributing £3.6m, and £5m coming from developer Terrace Hill. The building is being designed by Red Box Design.
The proposed centre is a reaction to the Cox Review of Creativity in Business, which highlighted the importance of creativity, design and innovation to business performance in the UK.
A decision on the planning proposal is due to be made around the end of February ne
A spokeperson for Gateshead Borough Council says, ‘As [the Design Centre North] is a major project, [the planning proposal] will have to go to committee and the earliest a decision will be made is late February, early March.’