Revised plans for a multi-million-pound regeneration project in the heart of Newcastle’s West End have finally been approved by the city council’s planning department.

Permission had been sought in 2019 but both applications were refused and eventually challenged at appeal in November 2021.

These were dismissed by the planning inspector on the grounds that the design of the proposed drive through and the remodelling of the external elevations of the tower were found to be unacceptable.

Developers Hadrian Property commissioned new architects to review the overall design of the scheme. The approved design takes its cue from the surrounding areas through the use of contrasting brick but does so in a way which still allows the development to read as a modern addition to the area. The lighter material palette prevents the building from appearing as overbearing which is also a welcomed change from the previous application.

The current proposal also has an improved verticality created by dividing the principal elevation into three sections with the central area recessed. This helps to break up the mass of the building. The ground floor retail units will provide a more active frontage onto Westgate Road.

The proposal was considered by the council as a good design standard.

The conversion of the existing tower into 15 one bedroomed residential apartments across the upper floors is now set to move forward. A proposed restaurant/café with associated drive-thru facilities to the west of the site are also scheduled under revised plans that include three ground floor level retail units measuring 60 sq. m, 139 sq. m and 196 sq. m.

A number of new trees will be planted across the 0.3 ha site to provide attractive landscaping that will feature ornamental planting, hedges and shrubs. Seventeen residential and visitor car parking spaces will also be available while the restaurant will benefit from 11 parking spaces, including two electrical vehicle charge point bays.

The station has been vacant since 2017, when it was put up for sale after Northumbria Police transferred its operations to its city centre base at Forth Banks.

Work on the £5 million redevelopment is expected to start later this year, bringing forward a regeneration project that will create dozens of construction and retail jobs, while pumping hundreds of thousands of pounds into the local economy.

Sean Hedley, managing director of Hexham planning specialist Hedley Planning Services, who has steered the project through planning, said approval ushers in the start of a new phase in the transformation of an important part of Newcastle’s West End.

“We have worked collaboratively with the local planning authority to ensure a high-quality design that will transform the west end of Newcastle. We very much look forward to redevelopment; bringing back to life an important site that will deliver social and economic benefits to the community through imaginative regeneration and fresh investment.

“As planners, we want to see urban regeneration of brownfield sites and the re-purposing of existing buildings to deliver a strong legacy. This one undoubtedly heralds major changes to this part of the city.”