Nos. 1-14, With Attached Archway And Ramp, And Walls And Fences To Rear

Nos. 1-14 is a block of fourteen flats and houses built between 1978 and 1979 by Ralph Erskine's Arkitektkontor, with Vernon Gracie as the site architect and White, Young and Partners as the structural engineer. The main contractor was Shepherd Construction. The building features concrete block construction, clad in brick and cream weatherboarding, with blue and cream timber accents on the balconies and a blue curved metal roof supported by box beam purlins. The balconies have a translucent, greenish covering. The crescent-shaped design complements the curve of Raby Gate. The building has three storeys on the south side and two on the north, adapting to the sloping site while maintaining a flat roof line. Access to the flats is via balconies, with external stairs leading to the top level at the rear. The upper access balcony is supported by bracing from the first-floor wall. The south side features double-height balconies with brick steps for access, a design repeated at the north end with a lower flight. The rear walls are brick, with green weatherboarding on the balconies and steep steps. The windows are timber with timber surrounds and aluminium opening lights, while the original doors are red timber with glazed panels, some of which have been replaced with hardwood. The site was initially planned for a three to five storey block, but a Special Subcommittee requested a maximum height of three storeys, leading to the current design developed in January 1977. The block was intended as a visual centerpiece for the Raby Street area, and Erskine sought a steam winding machine from the National Coal Board Museum as a feature to reflect one of Byker's historic industries.