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Revealed: Malhotra Group presents £35m vision for Newcastle Grey Street transformation

Leisure operator Malhotra Group is planning to introduce a £35m hotel complex in Newcastle city centre.

Should the ambitious development gain approval, the site would be complete with a rooftop swimming pool, nightclub, restaurants and retail outlets.

The scheme, set to stretch from Grey Street down to its junction with Mosley Street and across to the lower part of Cloth Market, will encompass nine buildings - seven of which are Grade II listed.

The announcement follows Malhotra snapping up a number of Grey Street buildings over the last few years, pursuing a vision of creating a 120 bedroom, four star deluxe hotel in the heart of the city.

Overseen by leading designers Space Architects, the development idea includes transforming the Balmbras music hall at the Cloth Market by restoring it to its original identity, coupled with a plan for Drury Lane – the site of the original Theatre Royal – which will be home to a number of retail outlets within a glass covered cobbled street.

Full plans for the scheme will be presented to Newcastle City Council by the end of the year, with a view to starting the refurbishment in spring 2018 subject to planning permission being granted.

The plan is for the leisure complex to be open by the end of 2020, with a design that would be sympathetic and in keeping with Grey Street’s historic façade.

Meenu Malhotra, Group Chairman of Malhotra Group PLC, revealed: “This is a huge and impressive development that should bring more visitors in to the city centre.”

Meenu sees the scheme as being the jewel in the crown of the group’s property portfolio, believing it will become a visitor attraction in its own right, not only creating jobs but also boosting the local economy.

“As owners of the Grey Street Hotel we are well aware of the importance of ensuring that any development in this area celebrates its history and we believe this new hotel will be a huge asset not just to Grey Street but to the city as a whole,” he continued.

“It’s a very ambitious scheme, and we will work very closely with the city planners and conservations department in respecting all aspects of the historic architecture to ensure these landmark buildings are brought back to their former glory.”

Cllr Ged Bell, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Growth at Newcastle City Council, added: “We’re delighted the Malhotra Group are bringing forward investment in this iconic and historic area of the city. Significant investment like this demonstrates the private sector’s commitment and willingness to invest in Newcastle’s future.

“Newcastle is growing, and it’s important that we continue to create the right conditions to attract further investment and development in the city. This announcement supports our own ambitious plans for Newcastle to encourage economic growth and create jobs for future generations.”

David Coundon, director at Space Architects who is leading the design team, is currently discussing the planning submission with Newcastle City Council and will soon be facilitating a conditions survey of the existing buildings, along with point cloud surveys which generate a 3D model of a building using laser technology.

This will generate an interactive model image of the buildings, which will then form the basis for the design and will enable the team to fully analyse, review and consider the historic fabric, and more importantly, deliver the project on time, avoiding added costs.

David commented: “We are very excited at the scale and ambition of this project. It allows us to deliver an important restoration project for the city, generating new luxury facilities that will attract visitors and locals alike.”

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