A draft 25-year plan for central Newcastle and Gateshead proposes 16,000 new homes and a Gateshead Quays arena. Anyone can comment until 6 January 2027.
A draft 25-year plan for the centre of Newcastle and Gateshead, with more than 16,000 new homes and a new arena at Gateshead Quays, is out for public consultation until 6 January 2027, and people from across the North East, Northumberland included, are being asked what they think.
The North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, and the leaders of Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council opened the consultation on the draft Newcastle and Gateshead Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) on Friday 6 November, the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority said. The release invites “people from across the region” to have their say.
For Northumberland that is not an abstract invitation. The area the plan covers, which it calls the Urban Core, is where many of the county’s residents work, shop, study and go out, and the framework describes it as “centred on Newcastle Central Station”, where Northumberland Line trains from Ashington, Blyth and Cramlington arrive.
What the draft plan proposes
The draft framework covers Newcastle city centre, Gateshead town centre, the River Tyne and nearby areas. Its 2050 vision includes:
- More than 16,000 new homes, including affordable housing “beyond policy requirements”, with the aim of at least doubling the number of people who live there.
- More than 3 million sq ft of extra commercial floorspace.
- New links across the Tyne and better public transport, walking and cycling.
- A new arena at Gateshead Quays, listed among Gateshead’s short-term priorities.
- Major schemes at Forth Yards, which the document says could take around 2,500 homes, and Pilgrim’s Quarter in Newcastle.
The plan also sets out where the area starts from. Around 118,000 jobs are based in the Urban Core, the document says, but only about 32,000 people live there, in around 10,000 homes, and roughly 18,500 of them are students.
The framework has been drawn up jointly by the Mayor, the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council, and is part of the Newcastle Gateshead Mayoral Development Zone. The authority says the proposals aim to “unlock billions of pounds of investment, create new jobs and more opportunities for local people”, and to drive investment in music, culture and sport.
What the Mayor and council leaders said
Ms McGuinness said: “We have huge ambition for Newcastle and Gateshead over the next 25 years, but I want people to tell us about the place they want to live, work and spend more time in.
“Our Strategic Regeneration Framework lays the groundwork for major growth, setting out how Newcastle and Gateshead will thrive over the next 25 years. It includes big projects like a new arena at Gateshead Quays, thousands of new homes including social housing and more jobs for local people.
“We’re being bold and I want to know what you think of this vision. If you have an idea for the future of this amazing place, I want to hear it.
“The public consultation is open until 6 January 2027 so please spread the word and have your say. Let’s build a bright new future for your North East, together.”
Councillor Colin Ferguson, Leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “We have a clear ambition to make Newcastle the most successful regional capital in the UK and this document demonstrates that this isn’t just words, it is backed by opportunity, with a clear, shared vision with our partners in Gateshead and the Mayoral Strategic Authority.
“If Newcastle thrives, the region thrives, and this is a fantastic opportunity to build on the strong foundations already in place in an area that holds some of our biggest assets, the urban core of Tyneside.
“Much of this framework is already informed by engagement with our communities but it needs to be an ongoing conversation and I am delighted that now we enter a period of consultation that allows our residents to help shape the future of the city region.”
Councillor Nick Allan, Leader of Gateshead Council, said: “This Strategic Regeneration Framework is about securing a strong future for Gateshead and ensuring local people benefit from the investment, jobs and opportunities it can bring.
“Working with Newcastle and the North East Mayor, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of our riverside and urban core. I’d encourage residents, businesses and organisations to get involved and help shape that vision for generations to come.”
What it means for you
- Who can respond: anyone. Residents, businesses, community groups and other organisations are all invited, and the release is addressed to people across the region, not only those in Newcastle and Gateshead.
- How: read the draft and fill in the online survey on the consultation page, or write to North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, The Lumen, St James’ Boulevard, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5BZ. Documents in other formats can be requested from haveyoursay@northeast-ca.gov.uk.
- What they are asking: whether the vision reflects what you want to see, whether anything important is missing, and what you would do differently.
- Deadline: Wednesday 6 January 2027.
- What happens next: the authority says responses will be used to shape the final framework, which is due to be published in 2027. Responses will be reported without identifying individuals.
For Northumberland commuters, the transport sections are worth a look: the draft sets out the aim of an “Angel Network”, which it describes as a simpler, more integrated public transport system across the North East.
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