A planning application has been submitted to Newcastle City Council that could see the transformation of Newcastle’s historic Forth Goods Yard site into a landmark new neighbourhood, offering new homes and public spaces at its heart.
The plans have been submitted by Platform4, Network Rail’s property development company – established to unlock railway land – and its joint venture, blocwork.
The scheme proposes more than 500 apartments and several town houses across two residential buildings. Built on the derelict plot behind Newcastle Central station, a new 650-space multi-storey car park serving station customers and city centre visitors will also be delivered.
The application includes plans for a striking New York-style public highline which would see the conversion of a disused viaduct into a new urban park, creating new active travel connections between the site, city and Newcastle Central station.
Forth Goods Yard has been earmarked for regeneration for decades, and the initial development would act as a catalyst for the wider transformation of the Forth Yards area.
A public consultation on the proposals found overwhelming support from residents, with 100% of respondents backing the regeneration of this site. 93% welcomed the creation of new, high-quality homes in the city centre, with almost 90% backing plans for the new public highline.
The application comes after the Government announced a consultation on reforms to the NPPF, which may see a presumption in favour of the development of new, high-density residential schemes at sites close to railway stations across the country.
The proposals also follow the launch of a consultation on the masterplan for the wider Forth Yards area by Homes England, Newcastle City Council and the North East Combined Authority. blocwork and Platform4’s proposals for Forth Goods Yard would kick-start development across the city, paving the way for further phases, unlocking thousands of new homes and millions in investment across the 52-acre site.
The plans will deliver:
- 514 new, high-quality new homes across two residential buildings
- New green space and public realm across the site, benefitting the wider community and significantly improving biodiversity
- 650 new car parking spaces for station customers and city centre visitors
- New retail and amenity space, creating a vibrant mixed-use community
Nick Legget, Development Director at blocwork, added:
“We’re proud to submit our plans to regenerate Forth Goods Yard and would like to thank the community for their engagement with our consultation. Our plans will transform this strategic site into a new community, creating hundreds of new, high-quality homes alongside new green space and a public highline offering new connections between the city centre, station and Forth Goods Yard for residents in Newcastle.”Kevin McGinley, Development Director for Platform4, said:
“The delivery of new homes neighbouring major city centre transport hubs like Newcastle Central is a key driver for investment in the region, and it supports the Government’s housing agenda. Our plans revive a site which has been disused for decades and by developing housing and public space, Forth Goods Yard has the potential to kickstart a broader transformation, which could create up to 2,500 new homes across the wider site and set a new aspiration for City-wide growth.”
blocwork and Platform4 will now work alongside officers at Newcastle City Council to finalise the details of the scheme, before its determination by the Planning Committee in 2026.