The
small tight urban grain of Victorian Gateshead has
been progressively destroyed and replaced with a
much more open grained development form with wide
streets designed for the convenience of motorists
and resultant tracts of open space left over detracting
from the urban character.
Some urban structure from the existing
historic street patter remains, for example the High
Street and part of West Street, however beyond that
the urban form is clearly scattered and fragmented
with little structure or relationship with the new
street patterns.
The vacant future develoment sites
at the Baltic Business Quarter and Ochre Yards add
to the open and fragmented character around the periphery
of the centra area, which in turn presents in a low
quality environment on the approaches to Gateshead.
