Hebburn FAQs

Our Hebburn Conversation follows the Our South Shields Conversation event, and it is an integral part of the Council’s 20-year Vision (https://southtyneside.gov.uk/article/15972/The-South-Tyneside-Vision-and-Council-Strategy) which seeks to ensure that South Tyneside is a place where people live healthy, happy, and fulfilled lives.

 In particular, this Vision seeks to deliver five ‘Ambitions’ that will guide everything we do, so hearing what residents and businesses have to say is therefore very important, as we want all people in South Tyneside to be financially secure, live healthy lives, and be part of a strong community with a fairer system of support.   

The Our Hebburn Conversion is a consultation event that provides you with an opportunity to have your say on how the Council can deliver its 20-year Vision. Once comments have been made in response to this event, the Council will have careful regard to what is being said and it will then provide a Vision Masterplan for Hebburn.

To encourage residents and businesses to have their say, the Council has provided seven consultation boards which split Hebburn into three sub-areas (Town Centre, Riverside Park and the Surrounding Area). These sub-areas have their own distinct character and development has already taken place, but the Council wants to hear your views about how these areas may be further improved.

Our Hebburn Conversation is your opportunity to share your views and influence the Vision Masterplan.

Only the public realm running through the Shopping Centre is in Council ownership. The Mountbatten Shopping Centre and the service yards at both sides are all in private ownership.

The Council has regular communication with both the private owners and their agents but does not have any dealings with the day-to-day property management of the centre. The Council does recognise the strategic opportunity to bring new businesses into the centre and will try to support and facilitate as much as it can.

The new Childrens Home has Planning consent. Start on site is anticipated by the end of 2023. It is expected that the new scheme will be open by early 2025.

Works on the Paul Younger Energy Centre are due to be complete in November 2023. Reinstatement of the contractor’s compound and the site adjacent to the Paul Younger Energy Centre is due to be complete by the end of 2023.

The Hebburn Renewable Energy Network is already live, serving Durham Court and Hebburn Central. It will also supply the new Children’s Home when complete.

The Council has a strong track record of working with the public and private sector to undertake development. We intend to build on this to develop the priorities arising from this consultation.

Whilst we will continue to enable development, provide investment, and maximise grant funding opportunities, we cannot carry out development or improvements in Hebburn in isolation. We will need to work with organisations of all sizes, particularly those in the private sector with money to invest to bring forward development and improvements.

There isn’t a one size fits all solution to bringing forward opportunities, so we’ll be flexible in our approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome.

No, the Council will facilitate opportunities and will submit grant funding bids to facilitate schemes where it can. Discussions are ongoing to try and secure Levelling Up Fund grant from Central Government for the town. Where appropriate and viable to do so, the Council may fund and bring forward individual projects.

A key role for the Council is to act as an enabler to create the right conditions and opportunities for the private sector to invest and take the lead on new developments and opportunities.

Yes, very much so. There’s still a lot going on and a lot to be excited about. Increasing footfall is still paramount – we’re looking at various ways to do this as set out in this consultation.

Over the last decade, the council has invested significantly in public buildings across all three of our towns, futureproofing the facilities people rely on. We’re creating the infrastructure and environment to generate confidence for the private sector to invest. We will continue to do that, unlocking land for development or improvement while acting as an enabler and influencer.

No, the improvement of sites or open spaces for leisure use is very important for Hebburn. Whether it is Fountain Park, Riverside Park, or others such as the site at Argyle Street, improvement rather than new development is most likely the anticipated outcome of the consultation.

Development of Council owned car parks is not anticipated. There may be small schemes such as a coffee kiosk etc, however when developing the Vision Masterplan, we will ensure that there is sufficient car parking provision to meet current and future demands.

Although the council is responsible for the billing and collection of business rates, we do not set them. Business rates are worked out on a property’s rateable value which is set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). The value of business rates is determined by multiplying the rateable value by a multiplier set by central government. It should also be noted that the Council has no control over rents set by private landlords.