Conference centre’s ambitious but crucial

Nov 4 2009 by Andrew Hebden, The Journal

THE plans for an £80m conference centre on the banks of the Tyne seem ambitious in the current economic climate, with the threat of public funding cutbacks looming large.

But 1NG, the NewcastleGateshead city development company, is right to push ahead with this aspirational project, which could fill an obvious gap in the region’s offering as a business tourism destination.

It is apparent that organisers of major conferences, which would otherwise be held in the region, are currently being forced to look elsewhere because of the absence of a suitable facility.

Having a world-class conference centre in Gateshead would apparently lead to investment worth £25m a year coming to the North East – and you only need to look at cities, such as Liverpool and Manchester, to see the immediate spin-off benefits.

It would be great for the region if NewcastleGateshead could beat Leeds – which has long been trying to get work started on its own conference centre – to the prize of building such a facility. While we are some way from seeing this project come to fruition, it is progress of sorts that a consensus has now been reached on a probable site for the new building.

Gateshead Quays is the right location for the conference centre, given the nature of the existing development in the area.

Indeed, allied to The Sage Gateshead, Baltic and the Hilton hotel, there are the makings here of a world-class cultural and business tourism destination – with an unrivalled iconic backdrop.

So it is unfortunate that the Labour opposition on the other side of the river seems intent on making political capital out of the decision by suggestions that Newcastle’s loss is Gateshead’s gain, rather than throwing its weight behind the project for the good of the region as a whole.

The benefit of having a body such as 1NG is that it can put together a strong business case for a development like this which should override historic political rivalries.

It has already proved its worth in helping to generate an agreement on the site.

If it can actually deliver the planned scheme in anything like the five-year timescale that has been suggested, then it will have a major feather in its cap.

Andrew Hebden is head of business at The Journal