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Street revamp disruption to continue

Daniel Holland
Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC Artist's impression of the revamp of Northumberland Street. It includes raised planters filled with purple blooms, shrubs and low trees stretching down the lenght of the street, with shops to the side. People are sitting on the rim of them in the sunshine. BBC
The council has released new images of the street's "elegant modernisation"

Disruption from the revamp of a busy city centre shopping street will continue until next year, a council has warned.

The "elegant modernisation" of Northumberland Street in Newcastle includes new paving, lighting pillars, street furniture and plants.

Work began in December 2023, and was due to finish in the summer, but "fresh challenges" mean it has been pushed back to early 2026.

Newcastle Council said it was aware the temporary patches of tarmac were "unsightly" but the transformation would be worth the wait.

Artist's impression of the revamp of Northumberland Street. A number of people are strolling along the sunny street, which includes grey paving with white diagonal lines, a line of small trees in leaf and, in the foreground, blocks of seating in cream coloured checks. A line of shops is on the left hand side.
New paving and lighting towers are being installed

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council said contractors Taylor Woodrow had encountered a "major challenge" in carrying out upgrades to infrastructure beneath the street for the first time in decades while keeping it open for shoppers.

Labour councillor Dan Greenhough, the city council's cabinet member for economy, jobs and skills, said the work was bound to be "entering the unknown" with centuries of history lying beneath the street.

He said: "We appreciate the temporary tarmac patchworks have been unsightly, but these were only ever a stopgap on our journey to revitalising Northumberland Street into a high street ready to flourish."

New images of the project, which is being funded by part of a £20m grant from the Government's Levelling Up Fund, have now been released.

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