Demolition work gets underway in South Shields town centre as part of college relocation plans

South Tyneside Council has confirmed that the former Central Library, on Prince George Square, will be brought down as the site has been earmarked for student accommodation.

The site is the last one to be demolished to facilitate South Tyneside College’s proposed move to South Shields town centre from its current Westoe location.

The building has been disused since 2016 following the opening of The Word on Market Place.

Cllr Margaret Meling, the lead member for Economic Growth and Transport, has highlighted that relocating South Tyneside College will boost footfall to South Shields town centre.

She said: “We know there is overwhelming public support for the college’s proposed move into the town centre and for the last couple of years we’ve been assembling the sites needed to free up land for the development.

“This building has been empty for several years now so I think people will be excited to see some progress on the site.

“Diversifying and boosting footfall is crucial; times have changed and we know we can’t rely solely on traditional retail anymore.

“A relocated college would bring in thousands of additional people, leading to a livelier town centre which will benefit businesses.

“This is about looking to the future and, together, shaping a vibrant town centre that appeals to all generations.”

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In 2022, South Tyneside Council carried out the ‘Our South Shields Conversation’ to consult local people about the future of the town.

Out of the 1,300 residents who responded to the survey, more than 80% supported the proposed college relocation.

A planning application is due to be submitted to create a modern campus that spans across King Street and Barrington Street, with student accommodation located on the old library site.

Plans will also include the refurbishment of the Grade II listed Barrington Street building, highways improvements and green spaces.

The demolition of the Central Library will be carried out by MGL Demolition and is estiminated to take around six months to complete.

The work will start with an internal stripout and asbestos removal, with the demolition of the concrete structure set to start at the end of the bird nesting season.

As a result of the work, the council-owned car park based off Anderson Street is now closed.