Time called on historic landmark

Members of the "Science City" partnership at the demolition site

Demolition work to transform an historic Tyneside landmark into a centre for science has begun.

The former home of the iconic Newcastle Brown Ale is set to become "Science City", a base for high-tech education, research and business.

A consortium, of the city council, Newcastle University and One NorthEast, bought the site in 2005 for £33m.

The partnership's chairman wielded a sledgehammer to begin the demolition, which he described as a milestone.

Initial work on the 19-acre site will involve demolishing buildings, levelling the land and filling tunnels.

'World-class'

Newcastle was designated a science city by Chancellor Gordon Brown in recognition of its potential to grow high-tech industries and help keep the UK competitive against emerging economies like China and India.

There are hopes the new development will create up to 15,000 jobs.

Paul Walker, chairman of the partnership, said: "We are now starting to create world-class facilities for our world-class science and that combination will make the North East a force to be reckoned with.

"The brewery site is just one of the many projects that make up Newcastle Science City.

"There will also be significant investment in other new and existing facilities to ensure we continue to excel in the areas we have identified as the region's scientific strengths."