'Exciting': Council bosses promise regeneration plan progress in Newcastle’s East End after tower demolition
Council bosses have promised movement on “exciting” regeneration plans in Newcastle’s East End, more than a year after the long-awaited demolition of a derelict tower block.
Hexham House, in Walker, was blown up in a controlled explosion on November 30, 2024. The removal of the 16-storey housing block, following that of its old neighbour Titan House, had been heavily delayed and marked a major change to the skyline in the east of the city.
While Newcastle City Council has long held ambitions of transforming the Duncan Street site with new homes, the land remains vacant 12 months on. Bosses are also planning to demolish 19 shops and more than 20 homes at the Church Walk Centre, which are currently fenced off ahead of being torn down.
While the council has talked of bringing at least 50 affordable homes to the area, detailed plans are yet to emerge. However, the local authority told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week that it remains “absolutely committed” to the vision and that residents could expect to hear more in 2026.
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said: “We have exciting regeneration plans for Walker in 2026 and are absolutely committed to delivering new, more appropriate housing that meets the need in the area. We love Walker, we love the community there and we are excited about the potential for regeneration that puts residents at its heart.
“The demolition of Hexham House was a big moment, it marked the end of an era for the community. This upcoming year we are excited to be talking to residents less about knocking things down, and more about what foundations we will lay for the future.”
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The blast which brought down Hexham House was the first explosive demolition in Newcastle since Sir Bobby Robson pressed the button on the old Newcastle Breweries building in 2008.
Plans had been in the works for years to demolish the disused council flats, but suffered multiple setbacks – including when, in 2022, officials warned that work to remove asbestos from the empty sites has been “made more challenging” after a gang of thieves broke in to steal copper piping.
Its demolition was also delayed in order to avoid clashing with the one-month anniversary of the tragic Benwell explosion in 2024 in which two people were killed.