North East Mayor commits over £3m to redevelopment of Gateshead Old Town Hall apartment plans
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has pledged over £3m to the development of apartments within the old Gateshead Town Hall.
The funding is part of a £22m investment to build 1,122 homes across the North East.
In addition to the work in Gateshead, money will see the city council to replace garages with new homes for social rent.
Gateshead Council will see £3.4m funding to create 243 new homes, along with new commercial space in and around the Old Town Hall. The energy-efficient development will create 270 jobs in the construction phase.
Once Gateshead Council’s headquarters, the only surviving purpose-built Victorian town hall in Tyne and Wear is set for a full restoration.
The Grade II listed building and surface level car parks are to be reimagined into homes, cafes, bars, restaurants, and green spaces.
McGuinness said: “The Old Town Hall has huge untapped potential as a unique historic landmark at the heart of our Mayoral Development Zone for Newcastle-Gateshead, one of the most exciting urban regeneration opportunities in the North of England.
She added: “By breathing life back into an iconic building that has stood empty too long we’re not only delivering much‑needed homes, we’re preserving a piece of our shared heritage and creating a place that will once again inspire local people for generations to come.”
Newcastle City Council will use old garage sites across 17 sites in Newbiggin Hall, Kenton, Slatyford and West Denton to build 109 new homes for social rent, while 451 new homes including 137 for affordable rent or buy will be built as part of the 7-site Walker masterplan in the east of the city.