A major milestone has been reached in the final phase of the Downing Plaza masterplan in Newcastle, which includes hundreds of student bedrooms.

Downing has secured Building Safety Regulator Gateway 2 approval for its student accommodation scheme on Heber Street in Newcastle city centre, which forms part of the wider masterplan.

The business is now set to start on site in March 2026. The scheme will bring forward 411 student bedrooms across a mix of 303 stand-alone studio apartments and 20 cluster units. A range of internal amenity areas, ancillary accommodation and landscaped external gardens will further enhance the offer, creating a high-quality living environment in the heart of the city.

Designed by Simpson Haugh, the development is made up of three clearly defined sections, rising to 10, 12 and 14 storeys. The wider Downing Plaza masterplan is located on the former Newcastle and Brown Brewery. New teaching space has already been built for Newcastle University Business School, alongside more than 1,800 student bedrooms and a 183-bed hotel.

David Jenkinson, development manager at Downing, said: "Securing Gateway 2 approval is a major step forward for our Heber Street development, and we're delighted to now be moving towards a start on site.

"Heber Street is one of several exciting projects in our pipeline as we accelerate our strategy across key UK cities including Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow and London. We’re eager to bring this latest scheme to life, creating a modern, inspiring home for Newcastle’s growing student community."