First look: 146-house development hopes to rejuvenate Benwell with technology and viewpoints

A new 146-house development in Benwell is being opened for public consultation after provider Placefirst won a tender to develop the new neighbourhood.

The proposed scheme, two miles west of the Newcastle city centre, will be a single-family rental neighbourhood with a variety of two, three and four-bedroom house types.

Developers Placefirst hopes to deliver a ‘sustainable neighbourhood with energy-efficient homes, open spaces, quality management and maintenance’ which will include public open space and landscape zones to make the most of views over the Tyne Valley.

The development will rejuvenate the disused brownfield site that has been vacant for a decade.

The development will build on Placefirst’s impressive portfolio of single-family rental homes in the North East which includes ‘The Green’ in Hartlepool, ‘Scholars View’ in Hetton-le-Hole and ‘The Oaks’ at Esh Winning in Durham.

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The planning application will be submitted in early 2023 following the consultation, and work is expected to begin in autumn if approved.

James Litherland, planning and development manager at Placefirst commented: “We are delighted to launch the public consultation on our plans for Benwell Dene ahead of the planning submission. The project will transform this prominent brownfield site into an exemplar BTR neighbourhood with energy-efficient homes, shared communal and public open spaces and a unique landscape masterplan with a network of sustainable urban drainage systems.

“The development represents our continued growth in the North East through successful partnerships with local authorities to provide the highest quality homes for long-term rent.”

The public consultation is available from 23rd January to 10th February 2023 and invites feedback from local residents. It can be accessed here.