New housing estates planned near town centre

The first housing development will be built to the north of Askew Road, which will be turned into a single carriageway road

Two housing estates are planned for empty land near a town centre.

Gateshead Council wants to build 90 homes north of Askew Road, and turn the road into a single carriageway.

It also intends to build a second housing estate to the west of Redheugh Bridge, with hopes of regenerating the former Clasper Village area.

Anneliese Hutchinson, interim strategic director for economy, innovation and growth at the council, said the developments were part of plans to improve the town centre.

"This project is part of a wider strategy the council is implementing to address the dominance of motor traffic in and around the centre of Gateshead and the quays area and encourage more people to live in, work in and visit our town centre," she said.

"We want to create an attractive town centre with pleasant areas of new housing, well connected to the centre and the river, to the places people want to go, and where we want to see businesses thrive."

Askew Road will be redeveloped to provide better access to the housing estate and the town centre

St Cuthbert's Village previously stood on the land earmarked for the first new housing estate. It was built in the 1960s, but its flats were demolished in 1995.

The new development will be built by Keepmoat Homes.

Clasper Village was built in the 1970s and demolished in 2016. A developer for this site has yet to be named.

Askew Road changes

Both developments will be located next to Askew Road.

The dual carriageway used to carry more than 600,000 journeys each month but average vehicle numbers have fallen by 21%, Gateshead Council said.

The council is launching a £3m project to turn Askew Road into a single carriage route with improved pedestrian and cycling links to the town centre. It said the housing developments could not go ahead without changes to the road.

Funding from Homes England and Network Rail will be used to finance the roadworks.