By Rachel Kerr BBC News

The Sage is the latest in a series of developments

Mick Henry is confident the view of the Quayside between Gateshead and Newcastle will become one of the world's best-known images.

The �70m Sage Gateshead is the latest part of a regeneration jigsaw which has seen the banks of the Tyne transformed in recent years.

The view Gateshead Council leader Mr Henry has such high aspirations for now includes the Baltic and Gateshead Millennium Bridge adding to what was already a distinctive stretch of bridges spanning the Tyne.

He is equally confident about the impact the regeneration will have on the lives of the people of Gateshead and the region.

He said: "I am honestly convinced that the view is going to become world-famous."

The Sage is the latest in a series of high-profile arts projects, including Antony Gormley's Angel, which have turned attention on Gateshead.

They have watched the building grow. It was their bridge, their Angel, their Baltic and this will be the same Gateshead Council leader Mick Henry Sage Gateshead in pictures

Mr Henry said: "I have friends in lots of places and I have had phone calls and messages telling me about something they have seen about Gateshead. I know people are talking about Gateshead.

"People no longer say 'I come from the North East', they are now proud to say they come from Gateshead.

"Some years ago we would be struggling to get developers interested in any sites, but now they are interested in talking to us."

The Sage has created about 800 jobs in the area. There has been a training programme with Gateshead College to fill posts created by the regeneration.

Mr Henry says there is a determination the regeneration will have a major impact in raising the quality of people's lives.

He believes people's aspirations are already higher and projects like the Baltic Business Park aim to keep young people in the area by providing job opportunities.

Mr Henry says there is now interest from developers

But he accepts the process is a long and complex one. He also says he can understand if people might see the regeneration as being concentrated on the quayside area, but says work is going on throughout the rest of the town.

The Christmas card he is sending out this year does not feature the Sage or Millennium Bridge, but Saltwell Park in the centre of the town which has recently opened after a �10m Lottery-funded revamp.

And he believes his pride in the Sage and the regeneration is felt by the people of Gateshead too.

He said: "I think what's so exciting is people have such huge expectations of what we are going to produce. They have watched the building grow. It was their bridge, their Angel, their Baltic and this will be the same.

"I think there's even a bigger sense of excitement because music in particular does touch people one way or another.

"Orchestras and performers from all over the world are going to come and that means the people of Gateshead and the region are going to benefit.

"I hope in 10 years time Gateshead will be seen as something right at the heart of a renaissance and in the long-term the region is one of the centres for creativity in the world."