Developing plans to

Building projects that will change landscape

Artist’s impression of what the new retail hub near Holystone roundabout could look like The site at Backworth Park estate where a new state-of-the-art primary school is planned to open in September 2018 Construction work under way on the site of the old Newgate street shopping centre, Newcastle DOZENS of major developments are taking place which could change the face of many parts of the North East.

From new housing and retail projects to the restoration of landmark sites, most of us will have seen work going on around our towns and villages.

In the past year, numerous planning applications have been approved and a variety of developments are well under way.

Among the places being transformed are Spanish City in Whitley Bay and parts of Newcastle City Centre.

We’ve made a list of just some of the schemes that are either going through the planning process or have already been given the go-ahead.

This new hub could be built near the A19 Holystone roundabout. Northumberland Estates put together the scheme for land near the Toby Carvery restaurant, just off the A186.

The first phase includes an Aldi store and a drive-thru Costa cafe. The developers have recently submitted detailed proposals to North Tyneside Council.

Just up the road from the Toby Carvery restaurant and near the Pavilion Bar and Grill, hundreds of new homes are being built.

The Brierdene development is to comprise 180 houses while the Backworth Park site will have around 290 properties.

There are further more houses at Heritage Green, being built by Miller Homes, while work has also started on a new bigger Backworth Park Primary School, to help serve the growing community. Dadford Mews at Holystone Park

The shopping centre, a well-known landmark in the city centre, was pulled down last year and will make way for student accommodation and a four-star hotel.

A retail operation will also open there. Work is well under way and the new hotel is already partly built, with completion scheduled by the end of 2018.

On the other side of the Holystone roundabout, not far from the Rising Sun Country Park, you will find this new development. Here Taylor Wimpey and Bellway Homes are building more than 400 properties.

This is one of the biggest community-driven projects we’ve ever seen. The Friends of Tynemouth Outdoor Pool, who have thousands of supporters, have submitted a planning application to North Tyneside Council to bring this crumbling lido back to life.

They are also planning to launch a community share scheme, giving members of the public a chance to invest in the project. A few years from now, this place could become a popular attraction, as it was in its heyday.

This plot, on Station Road, will have 225 properties built on it by Persimmon Homes, who will also be pouring almost £500,000 into community schemes including a play area, allotments and road improvements.

However, there could be more housing on the other side of Station Road in the future. Earlier this year, Persimmon submitted proposals to build around 550 houses on the fields across from East Benton Rise.

The former shipyard site, which is