Gateshead quayside arena complex approved despite objections

A £260m riverside arena complex with conference centre and hotel has been given permission by councillors.

The development will sit between the Baltic art gallery and the Sage music centre on Gateshead quayside.

Developer Ask Patrizia said it would attract an extra 400,000 visitors and £60m to the local economy each year.

But people living nearby said the development's 13-storey hotel could "dominate the locality and destroy the unique sense of place".

Peter Bauckham told councillors the "bland and uninspiring" hotel was "completely at odds" with the rest of the proposed complex and the existing quayside architecture.

He asked councillors to reject the plans or visit the site first to see for themselves.

But council planners said the hotel was "integral" to the scheme and the impact on traffic and residents had been "mitigated as far as reasonably possible".

A report to councillors predicted 100 events each year could cause a "significant" or "noticeable" increase in delays on surrounding roads, with attendance between 3,200 and 10,000, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Planning consultant Harvey Emms, representing the developer, said the scheme would act as a catalyst for further regeneration and "drive footfall through Gateshead town centre".

The 12,500-capacity arena would replace the Utilita Arena in Newcastle and is due to open in 2023.

The plans also include a conference and exhibition centre, a 300-bed hotel, cafes, bars, restaurants and shops.

Although they have been approved by Gateshead Council one opponent has applied for a review and it could fall to the secretary of state for communities and local government to make the final decision.

One councillor queried why the complex was now being branded 'Newcastle Gateshead Quays', which she called "disingenuous".

Lynne Caffrey said Salford Quays had become a successful development without having "Manchester" in its name.

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