Ashington town centre regeneration taking shape
31 Jan 2025
The £36m transformation of Ashington town centre is progressing well with a number of new improvements getting underway soon around town.
In February work will be getting started in and around the rear of Lintonville Terrace, Woodhorn Road and the adjacent vacant plot on Portland Park to make it a more welcoming, safe and accessible part of town.
Scheduled to complete in early Summer 2025, the works include additional street lighting and signage, road surfacing and paving and a new path and greenery will also be introduced to the vacant development site in the area. Works will be getting started on the vacant plot in early February followed by highway works in the surrounding area beginning in late February.
Works to improve the Memorial Garden beside Wansbeck Square will also be getting underway in partnership with the Town Council over the next few months. The improvements will enhance and maintain this special part of the town centre for remembrance activities and as a green space next to the High Street.
All local businesses and residents in the areas above will be kept informed prior to works beginning. Throughout all the regeneration work referred to in this update town centre businesses remain open and pedestrian access is available to all premises and around the town. Free parking is widely available and all car parks remain open as usual.
The improvements getting underway come on the back of continued progress on other major investments in Ashington including Portland Park Cinema, Wansbeck Square’s redevelopment and the recent reopening of the Northumberland Line, with over 50,000 passengers using the service in the first month.
Portland Park’s development recently reached another key milestone with the submission of a full planning application for the proposed cinema development and the confirmation that operator REEL Cinemas are now part of boosting the leisure and retail offer in the town.
The demolition of Wansbeck Square is also going well, with scaffolding being installed to the sides to allow for the safe demolition of buildings, given its proximity to neighbouring shops and the railway line, with as little disruption as possible. The site is proposed to become a new culture, community and youth facility and a welcoming and attractive gateway between the town centre and new railway station with works anticipated to start later this year.
With the Northumberland Line now open and proving extremely popular, pedestrian access between the town centre and the railway station continues to be via Kenilworth Road with access improvements for pedestrians recently completed. Two new accessible parking bays are also being introduced soon close to shops and services in Station Villas Car Park. Access to the car park for Ashington Railway Station continues to be unaffected by the works.
More family friendly events took place with free events this week as part of Animating Ashington programme, with residents and visitors treated to dazzling performances featuring interactive drumming, movement, and incredible special effects delivered by Walk the Plank and international street performers, Spark!
Find out more about these events and what else is coming up later this year here.
Councillor Richard Wearmouth, Cabinet Member for Supporting Business and Opportunities, said: “It’s fantastic to see this regeneration programme moving at pace – and the opening of the Northumberland Line has certainly brought an increased buzz to the town.
“There’s a lot of activity taking place in the coming weeks and months as we crack on with the work and we appreciate local business and residents’ support while we undertake these next key phases.”
The Animating Ashington project and Public Realm and Connectivity Project (Improvement works to the rear of Lintonville Road/Woodhorn Road, Portland Park Plot 3 and Memorial Garden) are funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the North East Combined Authority (NECA) with NECA as the lead authority as part of the Towns and High Streets Innovation Programme.
All the projects in this update are part of the £36m Regenerating Ashington Programme to improve the town being delivered by Northumberland County Council with support from Advance Northumberland. The programme is funded by UK Government including through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the County Council, North East Combined Authority and Advance Northumberland.
John Johnston, Ashington Town Board Chair added: “This really is a time of major positive change for the town, thanks to everyone who has taken the time to help develop these exciting plans.
"You can see progress on a daily basis and it’s genuinely exciting to see the regeneration of our great town taking shape.”
Ashington Central County Councillor Caroline Ball added: “It’s positive to see the works continuing in the town and I’m looking forward to seeing both Wansbeck Square and wider town centre improvements in the coming months.”
More information about the Regenerating Ashington Programme can be found at: nland.uk/arp
Photos courtsey of Carla Thompson