A multi-million pound ‘health innovation neighbourhood’ has received outline planning permission from Newcastle City Council.
The plans will see the former Newcastle General Hospital site transformed into a research and innovation hub that focuses on ‘ageing and living well’.
The neighbourhood will have 1,250 new homes, including clustered living, later-living, and supported living units and specialist housing for those with dementia and traumatic injury.
Plans include new academic and health facilities, digital learning spaces, areas for research and office use, and two ‘sustainable transport hubs’.
Newcastle University will develop the site with Genr8 Kajima Regeneration Ltd.
The university’s vice-chancellor and president, Professor Chris Day, said the hub would be the first of its kind in the UK and identify solutions to health and social challenges to benefit people ‘in the North East and beyond’.
Newcastle City Council’s director of investment and growth, Michelle Percy, said: ‘This 29-acre brownfield site has looked relatively underused since the hospital was demolished many years ago so I am pleased that it is destined to become a new part of the city with pioneering place-making and be brought back to life with a mixed-use, balanced development that will boost the economy and create good quality jobs.’
