Gateshead Regeneration Partnership kicks off 270-home scheme
Work has resumed on the redevelopment of a former freight depot off the Felling bypass, delivered by the joint venture between Countryside Partnerships, Home Group and Gateshead Council.
Clearance of abandoned old railway workings and other remediation of the former industrial land had already been undertaken, and now a final injection of cash from Homes England has been secured, enabling work to begin again.
GRP is a joint venture involving Gateshead Council, regeneration specialist Countryside Partnerships, formerly Vistry Partnerships, and registered housing provider Home Group. GRP is driving a £350m initiative to create around 1,500 homes on 16 sites across the borough.
Freight Depot is one of the biggest sites the partnership will develop in Gateshead, being transformed into 270 properties for sale, private and affordable rent.
Countryside’s Linden Homes will market the 165 homes for sale, Home Group will offer 25 for affordable rent, while private rented sector homes specialist Sigma Capital will market 80 of the new units for private rent under its build-to-rent brand, Simple Life.
The development will also be the first housing scheme to be connected to Gateshead’s district heating network – a new, low carbon energy centre which generates both heat and power locally, via a new 5km underground network of pipes.
The layout will incorporate a community hub and landscaping – including open spaces and green access routes through the site – both for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy.
Dave Brown, managing director of Countryside Partnerships North East, said: “A landmark project for the partnership, the Freight Depot follows successful projects that have created 420 homes in Birtley, Deckham, Rowlands Gill, Windy Nook and Saltwell.
“I’m confident this project will build on this success, creating more high-quality homes for the borough and a bustling community on a formerly unused parcel of land.”
Cllr John Adams, the Labour council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “It is fantastic to finally get this ambitious development in the heart of Gateshead underway. Regenerating an unused brownfield site into much-needed homes to meet local housing need will not only improve choice and availability, but deliver an economic uplift for the town centre nearby.”
The Homes England support comes from the government’s Local Authority Accelerated Construction programme, which was launched to help unlock public land and increase the speed of delivery on local authority housing schemes.
The first residents are expected to move into homes in December 2023 with completion of the large-scale project expected in early 2028.
