Council buys up vacant properties in Wallsend and Whitley Bay

North Tyneside council have agreed to buy three prominent vacant properties on Whitley Bay seafront and Wallsend Town Hall, in a bid to speed up the regeneration of the areas.

A meeting of the Elected Mayor and Cabinet this week finalised property negotiations between North Tyneside Council and the current owner of the former Wallsend Police Station, to confirm a package that will both secure the future of Wallsend Town Hall as a business centre promoting serviced office accommodation - and deliver land for essential affordable housing for the town centre.

Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn said: “I am delighted that North Tyneside Council can kick start the next phase of regeneration in both Whitley Bay and Wallsend through these landmark property agreements.

“I know the people in both Whitley Bay and Wallsend have been so frustrated at the delays they have had to suffer over many years and so I hope they will be delighted that they will eventually be able to see some real progress.

“Therefore we are pleased to be able to confirm that we have now taken ownership of three properties on Whitley Bay seafront and have a contract with the former owners to demolish the buildings in an agreed time limit.

“These are the former Avenue Public House including 1 Brook Street Gardens, the former Whisky Bends Public House and the former High Point Hotel. The Council has also taken ownership of a further property at 2 Eastcliffe.

“And with the Cabinet’s agreement officers will now also confirm the legal contracts with the current owner of the former Wallsend Police Station in a package that will enable the Council’s former civic and administrative centre to be earmarked as a business centre promoting serviced office accommodation, and free up other town centre land for affordable housing.

“We know that the Town Hall is important to the heritage of the town and while it is no longer a part of the council’s office portfolio officers have worked very hard to ensure it remains part of Wallsend’s future.”

In Whitley Bay the other prominent derelict site on the sea-front - the land once occupied by the Alletsa Ballroom and Sylvester’s nightclub - in December was given planning approval for a development of nine town houses and five apartments.

And the Council will be able to progress major refurbishment of the Spanish City Dome for leisure, retail and business enterprise use, after securing a first stage grant approval for £3.7 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Grade II listed building.

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