Planning applications submitted for £350m Gateshead regeneration scheme

A pioneering £350m scheme to regenerate housing in Gateshead has seen the first planning applications submitted for approval.

Plans for the first phases of the housing regeneration project have been submitted by Gateshead Regeneration Partnership.

The proposals are for 472 new homes on Sites in Saltwell & Bensham, Deckham and Birtley.

The applications are part of a huge scheme to transform housing provision across the borough with 2,400 homes.

The plans submitted by GRP included a detailed application for 103 homes to be put up on a cleared site on Saltwell Road West in Bensham.

Also included were outline proposals for an additional two nearby sites on Kelvin Grove and Hyde Park.

If planning is approved 295 rundown or vacant properties will be demolished and replaced with up to 261 three and four bedroom homes.

A hybrid planning application, including detailed plans for an initial 50 homes and outline proposals for 195 homes in total, has also been submitted for a development of three, four and five bedroom homes off Mount Pleasant Road in Birtley.

The final application to be considered is for 16 new two and three bedroom homes on Avon Street in Deckham – all of which would provide social housing, managed by Home Group.

The applications are just the first stage of the strategic plan to boost the housing market in Gateshead, with 2,4000 high-quality sustainable homes built across 19 sites over the next 15-20 years.

Around 25% of the homes built will be affordable or social housing with the remainder being privately owned.

GRP is an award-winning partnership comprising Gateshead Council, leading housing provider, Home Group and FTSE 250 homebuilding and construction group, Galliford Try.

The project has received significant funding from the Homes and Communities Agency to help with land assembly and site preparation works..

All land for the scheme is being supplied by Gateshead Council with financial investment to develop the land provided by Galliford Try and Home Group.

The project is the only one of its kind to bring together public and private sector organisations.

One of the major benefits of the partnership is that low-value land, that would have been unlikely to attract private development ,will be regenerated.

Following submission of the planning applications, the Local Planning Authority will carry out the usual statutory formal consultation period.

A decision on the proposals is expected in summer 2013 and approved by the council’s Planning and Development Committee, work on the new homes is expected to start in the summer.

Local residents have helped shape the plans during extensive, pre-planning public consultation undertaken by GRP prior to the submission of the applications.

It has been almost 25 years since new, large-scale social housing developments were constructed in Gateshead.

Rising unemployment, increasing private rents and difficulties obtaining mortgages has resulted in 12,000 people waiting for social housing in Gateshead.

Councillor Mick Henry, leader of Gateshead Council, said: “This is a hugely significant milestone in housing regeneration here in Gateshead.

“We embarked upon this ambitious venture with an aspiration to bridge the gaps between the public and private sector housing industry, to work together to revitalise communities at their very heart, and to tackle the shortage of family and affordable housing.

“This is one of two huge regeneration schemes that will see literally hundreds of millions of pounds invested in the housing, retail and leisure infrastructure here in Gateshead, during extremely challenging financial times.

“These developments follow years of external investment in art, culture and leisure that has generated enough confidence in our local economy to attract such developers.”