Shock update on plans to build hundreds of new homes on former Tyneside power station
Plans to build hundreds of new homes on the former site of a Tyneside power station have been dropped.
Homes England has withdrawn proposals for a 900-home estate next to the Newburn Riverside Business Park, in the west of the city.
The vacant plot of land was previously home to the Stella North Power Station, which was decommissioned and demolished in the 1990s.
The Government’s housing delivery agency had originally submitted plans to Newcastle City Council in 2020 to build up to 1,250 houses on the empty land to the west of the business park, before later scaling back its ambitions to a maximum of 900 properties.
But the scheme has now been withdrawn entirely, with Homes England indicating that it was deemed no longer feasible and that other options were now being pursued.
A council spokesperson added: “Homes England have decided to withdraw their application following discussions with planners over the number of homes they could deliver on that site. Our door remains open to further discussions with Homes England to find alternative uses for the site.”
Since the Newburn Riverside project was announced, Homes England has purchased the prominent Quayside West development site next to the Utilita Arena.
That development, on the largest section of the Forth Yards area, has been described as a “generational opportunity” to transform the city and has been given a £121.8 million Government funding package to help kickstart construction.
Homes England’s most recent version of the Newburn Riverside plans also included a primary school and nursery, a hub for community and healthcare facilities, and improvements to the walking route along the River Tyne.
The application stated: “The vision for the Newburn Riverside project is to deliver a new high-quality residential neighbourhood on a long-term brownfield site in an underutilised area of the city. It will provide a range of house types and tenures which will cater to existing and new households within Newcastle. The new housing will be complemented by a range of community facilities in a neighbourhood centre including land for primary school education (including nursery provision) and a local community hub. New areas of high-quality open space will be provided with improved connections to the riverside and nearby communities.”