Geordies are renowned for their love of a good night out, and the construction market in the North-east reflects that, with a dazzling number of leisure developments in the pipeline.

The Gateshead Quay regeneration has taken off. Foster and Partners鈥 拢45m Gateshead Music Centre has planning consent and Laing is due on site this summer. Meanwhile, HBG has started work on the nearby 拢24m Baltic Flour Mills鈥 reincarnation as the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Taylor Woodrow is on site between the two with a 200-bed hotel and 20-screen cinema and retail complex. Land Securities is developing the 拢26m Bridges shopping centre in Sunderland, and Newcastle鈥檚 拢25m Gate shopping and cinema complex is about to go out for tender.

The booming football business has also had a positive knock-on effect in the region. Gateshead International Stadium is to become one of 10 regional centres for sporting excellence, resulting in a sports dome with a 200 m indoor running track. Newcastle鈥檚 St James鈥 Park 拢40m extension will be completed by the summer and Sunderland鈥檚 Stadium of Light will have its capacity increased by 5000. Not to be left out, Third Division Darlington has just been given the go-ahead for a 拢15m, 25 000-seat stadium.

Workloads are healthy and there is no sign of overheating. Tender prices remain competitive and there are no skills shortages, as workloads are 鈥渂ubbling鈥 rather than boiling, says Laing marketing manager Stuart McArthur.

The North-east

There is a little bit of a boom coming up with the Gateshead Regeneration Programme, a new business park and loads of homes Stuart McArthur marketing manager, Laing There is always the complaint that, if you look at the big projects in the North-east, local architects haven鈥檛 really had a crack at them Peter Walker partner, Dewjoc Partnership Key projects 拢45m Gateshead Music Centre 拢26m Bridges shopping centre, Sunderland 拢25m Gate shopping centre, Newcastle 拢24m Baltic Flour Mill, Gateshead Price of a pint 拢1.75 Price of a three-bed semi 拢65 000 in Newcastle