WORK has begun on a £10m development on last remaining prime riverside site on the Newcastle Quayside.

In February, Newcastle’s Live Theatre’s purchased Quayside land and buildings to create LiveWorks - a development of commercial office space, a public park and a children and young people’s writing centre.

The project, which is being supported the North East European Regional Development Fund, and loans from Newcastle City Council and North East Local Enterprise Partnership, was given planning permission in June.

Now Live Theatre’s appointed contractor, Sunderland-based Brims Construction has started work on the development, which fills a gap on the Newcastle side next to the listed Custom House.

Jim Beirne, chief executive, Live Theatre said: “We are delighted to be working with Brims Construction again. On LiveWorks they have already proved themselves to be a creative team that pays attention to detail.”

Richard Wood, director at Brims Construction, said: “Having worked on another prominent Quayside building conversion at Nepia House for North of England P&I a couple of years ago, we are delighted that we have the opportunity to be part of the LiveWorks project that sees the one of the most important remaining sites on Newcastle’s Quayside, being developed into what will be a landmark building.

“The site really is the final piece in the Quayside jigsaw; its development is long overdue. The vision and hard work of the Live Theatre team should be commended in making this project finally happen.

“It is a pleasure to be working with the Live Theatre team once more following last year’s successful conversion of the historic Schoolhouse building, where Lord Collingwood was once a pupil, into a creative business hub.”

LiveWorks was designed by Architects Flanagan Lawrence, whose lead architect Jason Flanagan worked on the Sage Gateshead building.

The purchase of the land and buildings and the development of the site has been supported by a £2.5m grant from the North East European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme 2007 to 2013 and a preferential loan of £6m from Newcastle City Council.

Fundraising is continuing with grants from The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust, the Gillian Dickinson Trust, The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Monument Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Sir James Knott Trust, the Social Investment Business and the Wolfson Foundation already secured.

The project has also secured a loan facility of up to £2m from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.