Bordering the Ouseburn Valley to the east lies the Byker Ward, stretching from the Ouseburn in the west to Whinneyfield Road in the east.
The 2001 census noted a population of 11,339, with a majority of these residents living in housing rented from the local authority (54.5%) and owner-occupiers making up a further 31% of households, mostly of terraced houses and flats.
Byker Wall and Estate
Work commenced in the late 1960’s, when back-to-back terraced housing was demolished to make way for the Erskine-designed Byker Wall (made up of 620 maisonettes) and low rise development of family housing which was completed in the early 1980’s.
The estate was Grade II* listed in January 2007, in recognition not only of its architectural significance, but also the community led design process championed by Erskine’s team of architects, who lived and worked within the estate during its development.
The Wall, which was designed in such a way as to protect the estate beyond from the noise and dirt of the proposed bypass, is still predominantly in the ownership of the City Council and managed by Your Homes Newcastle (YHN), the City’s Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO).
In recent years, improvements in line with Decent Homes legislation have been carried out to upgrade these properties, which will continue as there is a legal requirement for all YHN-managed homes to reach this standard by 2010.
Byker Old Town
This is an area of inter-war housing, Victorian and Edwardian terraces and 1975 Housing Act accommodation. The estate has 443 housing units including a number of private sector owned properties as a result of former council tenants exerting their Right to Buy. This area runs from Bothal Street in the west to Roman Ave in the east.
Amenities
Shields Road is the district centre for Byker and the East End of Newcastle and is the largest shopping centre outside the city centre.
The final phases of the Shields Road Regeneration Strategy are now well advanced. The initial phases including the East End Pool & Library and Morrison’s food store have been followed by the opening of a new Gala Bingo and a KFC fast food drive-through. A new 24 hour Health and Minor Injury Centre run by the Primary Care Trust is now open on Molineux Street.
Also recently completed at the top of Shields Road is the Newcastle Retail Park, which offers a range of retail outlets and a gym. This is the first phase of the redevelopment of the Fossway.