Team Valley

Coordinates: 54°55′56″N 1°37′08″W / 54.9323°N 1.6189°W / 54.9323; -1.6189 Team Valley is a traditionally heavily industrial area of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. More recently it has become home to the 'Retail World' retail park, which makes up just a small percentage of the entirety of the Team Valley Trading Estate. Many large international companies are based in the area's trading estate and it is rapidly developing as a business park rather than the heavily industrialised area it used to be. There are currently approximately 700 companies on the estate, and each day approximately 20,000 people travel to Team Valley.[1]

History

In the 1930s the Government decided to spend nearly £2m on this part of Gateshead establishing the Team Valley Trading Estate as a well-planned industrial environment. The architect in charge was William Holford with Hugh Beaver as chief engineer.[2] It included a central headquarters, now used by English Partnerships, a bank, a post office and, some modestly scaled industrial buildings as well as some smaller industrial units for start-up ventures.[1]

These facilities were laid out along a wide central artery, known as 'Kingsway', almost two miles long. Work on the estate began in May 1936 and the first factory opened in October that year.[3] The construction, which was undertaken by Wimpey Construction, took several years and was completed in 1938.[4] Many of the older residents of Gateshead were involved in the building of the original team valley. The estate was officially opened by King George VI on 22 February 1939.[3]

The southern end used to be the location of the National Coal Board's regional headquarters[5] but after the closure of the mines in the area this was replaced by a Safeway supermarket which is now owned by Sainsbury's.[6]

The River Team runs directly through the centre of the trading estate, hidden in a culvert.[7]

Transport

Although the Team Valley Trading Estate predates the road by several decades, it is now bordered on the West by the A1 road, and has two junctions at both the north and south ends. A dual carriageway runs the length of the trading estate between the two A1 road junctions. The worsening congestion and the lack of scope for improving the A1 has led to the Highways Agency using the provisions of Article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 to restrict additional development taking place on Team Valley. The North East Chamber of Commerce and two local newspapers (The Journal and Evening Chronicle) have launched a campaign against these restrictions, entitled "Go for Jobs".[8]

To the East it is bordered by the East Coast Main Line which is the main railway between London and Edinburgh via Newcastle. Until 1952, the Trading Estate was served by Low Fell railway station.[9] The nearest heavy rail station is in Newcastle, while the Tyne and Wear Metro is accessible at Gateshead Interchange.[10]

Bus services are provided by Go North East with most operating to and from Gateshead Interchange.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 History of Team Valley
  2. ↑ Mervyn Miller, Holford, William Graham, Baron Holford (1907-1975), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press 2004; accessed 20 Jan 2012
  3. 1 2 "Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead toasts 75 years". BBC. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  4. ↑ White, p. 14
  5. ↑ London Gazette
  6. ↑ Usdaw statement on Sainsburys acquiring 13 Safeway stores and one Morrisons USDAW, 14 May 2004
  7. ↑ River Team Corridor
  8. ↑ Go for Jobs
  9. ↑ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 150. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  10. 1 2 Gateshead Bus & Metro Interchange

Sources

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