Newcastle Quayside apartment block has undersized homes, inquiry told

A 14-storey block of flats planned for Newcastle's Quayside was branded "painfully poor" on the opening day of a public inquiry to decide its fate.

A proposal for 289 apartments on the Plot 12 site was rejected by the city council in 2021 on the grounds that it was too big and would damage views.

The inquiry also heard the homes would be undersized if built, after the council adopted new rules on space.

Developers appealed against the refusal and say plans have now been redrawn.

The building's height would be reduced by two storeys and a "nib" moved from one corner to improve views from St Ann's Church.

It comes amid a further planning row over proposals to build an 18-storey tower block on the vacant Malmo Quay, near Ouseburn.

Paul Tucker QC, representing London-based build-to-rent developers Packaged Living and Scottish building company Robertson Living, said the site has been "in obvious need of regeneration since it was cleared and remediated a quarter of a century ago".

He said the complex, which attracted hundreds of public objections, would represent a "landmark building" of high-quality design that was not significantly bigger than its surroundings.

The inquiry heard claims it could create more than 700 construction jobs and boost spending in the local economy by £4m a year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

David Hardy, representing residents of St Ann's Quay, described the building as a "dull, mundane block of flats" that would be "devastating" for people living nearby, due to a loss of daylight and privacy.

"The proposed development is painfully poor as an attempt to design the right building for Plot 12," he said.

Mr Hardy told the hearing residents of St Ann's Quay, who have been vocal opponents, accept that the land will be built on, but this scheme was out of keeping with the location.

Anjoli Foster, representing the council, said it was the "wrong development" for the site.

Since the initial verdict last March, the council has also adopted a stricter policy on space standards for new-build housing, the inquiry heard.

Ms Foster said that the majority of residents, potentially 300 people, would be forced to live in undersized homes if it was built.

Mr Tucker claimed it was "not logical" to suggest that the size of the flats was acceptable 12 months ago but not now due to a change in an "abstract standard".

He said the block had been designed directly in response to a brief prepared by Homes England, in conjunction with the city council itself, and that there was a "compelling case" for it to be approved.

The inquiry, chaired by planning inspector Claire Searson, is scheduled to sit for up to seven days at Newcastle Civic Centre.

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