Newcastle City Council vows to push on with riverside regeneration

The proposed scheme would have seen more than 1,000 homes built along the riverside

Council bosses have pledged to push on with a major regeneration to the west of Newcastle city centre after a firm behind a £250m development went into administration.

It emerged last week administrators had been appointed at Quayside West Limited.

That cast doubt over proposals to build more than 1,000 homes on derelict land next to the Utilita Arena.

Newcastle City Council said the site remained "strategically important".

The scheme was billed as breathing new life into former industrial land in the Forth Yards area.

North Yorkshire developer Newby and finance firm Reditum entered into a joint venture and plans for what was the old Calders leadworks included 1,100 homes in a series of blocks up to 12-storeys tall.

There was also set to be a 135-bed hotel and shops.

However, the works have not progressed since the council approved outline plans for the development in November 2020.

The local authority said it was now working with other landowners around the area, which runs from behind Central Station down to the riverside along Skinnerburn Road.

A spokesperson said: "Naturally it is sad to see any developer go into administration.

"However, the land west of the Central Station remains a strategically important site forming part of the wider Forth yards area. 

"We are working with a range of partners to bring forward future developments of new homes and employment opportunities to create a high-quality gateway to the city centre.

"We will be reviewing the implications of this announcement on the area."

'Game changer'

Newby is understood to have exited the Quayside West scheme two years ago, according to documents on Companies House.

Most recent accounts for Quayside West Ltd show it had total liabilities of £10.16m as of December 2021, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

When the development won approval from the council in 2020, then cabinet member Ged Bell called it a "game changer for the city creating hundreds of construction jobs and further employment opportunities".

The former leadworks site was also previously earmarked for 528 homes under previous designs from housebuilder Bellway, which never came to fruition.

Questions also remain over the future of the neighbouring arena site.

The venue is due to be replaced by a 12,500-capacity venue on Gateshead Quays, which is now due to open in 2027.