An historic town looking to the future
In Stockton-on-Tees a business and housing renaissance is just around the corner.
Stockton is no stranger to progress.
In 1825 the world’s first passenger railway opened in Stockton on Tees. From this historic moment, Stockton has been embedded in the industrial landscape of the UK. Although the manufacturing and engineering industries may have waned over the last century, the service industry has grown strong in the region and an ambitious plan of regeneration is aiming to provide modern and well-equipped accommodation for a new wave of businesses and residents.
Stockton on Tees is a town that has excellent organisations and infrastructure in place to support business. This continues to grow as the £300 million Northshore development, situated on Stockton’s Riverside, aims to create around 4,500 jobs by providing 1.8 million square feet of offices, leisure and retail accommodation. The site will include a £6 million Innovation Centre for digital service and technology businesses as well as new facilities to expand Durham University Queen’s Campus.
The centre for regeneration.
Walking distance from the exciting Northshore development is The Stockton on Tees Town Centre, which has its own £38 million regeneration scheme that will bring high-quality public spaces and retail facilities to the town and support a full schedule of cultural events all year round. Work to date has included new paving, a remodelling of the St John’s Crossing junction, new car parks, a new marketplace and state of the art LED lighting.
The Stockton Town Centre Regeneration Scheme will be completed by the end of 2014, and the town is already benefiting. More than 50 businesses have either relocated to the town centre, expanded their operations there or have started new enterprises. Independent, specialist stores ranging from gourmet foods, bespoke clothing and handmade toys have taken residence, giving Stockton a distinct identity and creating a renaissance for the town’s shopping district.
Property growth is coming
Where businesses benefit, so too does property, as increases in employment raise the demand for housing in an area. Multiple developments happening in Stockton on Tees are building hundreds of homes in the town so that more people can move in and enjoy the benefits of this vibrant and growing market town. That means Stockton-on-Tees property investment is ideal if you're looking for a regeneration area for your portfolio.
Economy & Employment
So many plans, so much growth
While the heavy industry of Stockton’s past has declined dramatically, the Teesdale Business Park is a major commercial space that houses companies the likes of Barclays, Churchill and HMRC.
The £300m Northshore development aims to create a whole new business community on the north bank of the River Tees. Approximately 4,500 jobs will be created to fill the 42,122 sq metres of ultra-modern office space as well as the many new retail stores that will be moving in. Stockton-on-Tees is working towards a bright future for the local business community.
Find out more with a full Stockton-on-Tees Property Investment Guide.
Investment
With so many developments and regeneration schemes in Stockton-on-Tees, the town is bursting with growth potential. The town centre and Northshore master plans are very ambitious and aim to transform Stockton into a highly desirable area for businesses and residents.
All around Stockton there are regeneration schemes demolishing old and run down estates and rebuilding them into modern and sustainable communities. The property market in Stockton will have hundreds of new homes in the near future, and as workers and students start moving in to enjoy the opportunities brought by developments such as Northshore, demand for these homes is going to grow steadily.
Transport
Bus: The main operators are Arriva North East Limited and Stagecoach and there is an extensive service throughout the area. Local services are also provided Compass Royston Travel Ltd, Jayline Travel, Leven Valley Coaches and Scarlet Band.
Rail: Stockton is served by Northern Rail with connections to Middlesbrough, Redcar, Saltburn, Darlington, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Newcastle and Carlisle. The main railway stations are Stockton, Allens West, Billingham, and Eaglescliffe.
Air: Durham Tees Valley Airport is easily accessible from Stockton, Darlington, Middlesbrough and Durham. There are domestic services as well as direct international flights to EU countries.
Education
Tees Valley is home to many excellent further education colleges including two top class universities: the Teesside University and the Queens campus of Durham University.
Independent schools include:
- Teesside High School in Eaglescliffe
- Yarm School in Yarm
- Red House School in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees
- There is a wide range of secondary schools. The highest performing schools are:
- Egglesciffe School
- All Saints
- Ian Ramsey
- Teesside High School
Shops & Leisure
Stockton boasts and extensive range of restaurants, nightclubs and bars in the town centre as well as a leisure centre, snooker facilities, and amusement arcades.
The Teesside Shopping Park includes around 70 retailers and a range of leisure facilities, restaurants and bars. The town centre and Northshore regeneration schemes will bring many more fantastic shopping facilities to the town.
The River Tees provides a wide range of leisure activities including a water sports centre and a white water centre that has recently had a $4.6 million upgrade
Stockton prides itself on a full calendar of exciting public events. These include one of Europe’s largest free open air festivals, the annual Stockton International Riverside Festival, which features music, dance, comedy, street theatre and a circus. Theatres include the ARC Theatre, a multi-purpose arts centre with a theatre and cinema; the Globe, which is a grade 2 listed building currently undergoing restoration; and the Georgian Theatre, another listed building that dates back to 1766.
