Member Article

New Gateshead test centre revs up

One of the UK’s new multi-purpose driving test centres will open in April at Wellington Road, Dunston, with a runway for motorbikes to satisfy the latest EU rules on motorbike driving tests. The new ‘multi-purpose’ approach to driving test-centre provision has been developed by the DSA to include extra and more demanding special manoeuvres in every practical motorcycling test. For road safety reasons the new manoeuvres cannot be carried out on the public highway and require the creation of a safe off road area.

The multi-purpose centres, which will be in place throughout the UK by October 2008, need to be located close to a regional road network and within a short travelling time of a variety of road conditions allowing the driving examiners to assess each candidate across the full range of driving skills. The Wellington Road site was considered to be an excellent location for one of the country’s first multi-purpose testing centres.

The site was bought by clients of Duncan McGregor of Circle Red Properties. Watson Burton’s head of property, Richard Freeman-Wallace advised the purchaser and Circle Red Properties on the acquisition, planning permission and lease for the site.

Richard Freeman-Wallace said: “This was an excellent opportunity for our client on a high profile site with a national government department as an occupier. Our client has invested substantially in North East industrial sites for more than a decade. This is a valuable purchase, at an astutely chosen location.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .