Opinions sought for MetroGreen housing scheme

Plans are being developed to build almost 1,000 homes around the Metrocentre shopping centre

People are being asked for their views on a major new housing development planned around a shopping centre.

Gateshead Council's MetroGreen development plan includes almost 1,000 homes and a hotel and leisure facilities on brownfield land around the Metrocentre.

In a draft plan, the council said it would create new waterfront communities and offer them an "attractive lifestyle with the River Tyne as its backdrop".

MetroGreen forms part of the council's wider regeneration plan and residents have until 7 November to take part in the consultation.

The council wants to build on a 213ha (526-acre) brownfield site on the south bank of the River Tyne, extending to the A1 at Dunston and the River Derwent.

It said the development would offer an opportunity for "major, new housing and regional-scale leisure developments".

Gateshead Council said the area already benefits from bus routes and shopping at the Metrocentre

The plans also said the shopping centre would sit "at the heart" of the housing development and will provide residents with access to existing leisure and shopping facilities.

It also offers transport links through its bus and train station and existing walking and cycling routes.

The document said the Metrocentre would adapt and become more "outward-looking" as part of the scheme, although no details of how this would be achieved have been published.

Gateshead Council said it wanted to hear residents' "final views" on its planning policies before they were submitted to an independent planning inspector for public examination.