First spade in the ground at £37m Heaton Quarter regeneration project

Work has started on site at Keepmoat’s £37m Heaton Quarter development in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The scheme, being delivered by the top 10 UK housebuilder, with support from Newcastle City Council and Network Rail, represents a £37m investment to create new energy-efficient homes that will feature PV panels, electric vehicle charging points and bike storage to promote sustainable travel. Network Rail will also be delivering trackside biodiversity initiatives adjacent to the scheme.

Of the 143 new homes to be built, seven will provide affordable rent homes via Bernicia Housing, and a further 41 will provide rent to buy and other tenures in partnership with Karbon Homes. Fourteen of the homes will also be available to buy through discount market sale.

Teams from Keepmoat, Network Rail and Newcastle City Council created a biodiversity strategy that ensures there will be a number of unique biodiversity features on site. This includes a biodiversity mosaic corridor between the development and the main East Coast rail line to be maintained by Network Rail for at least 30 years.

The strategy also features a noise attenuation bund that will reduce noise pollution whilst also creating a series of ecological habitats to ensure that local wildlife is able to thrive within the development. A series of swales and SUDS basins will be installed throughout the site to accommodate surface water at times of high rainfall.

They spoke about the importance of regenerating brownfield land and how this latest investment will transform the land into a new, mixed tenure housing development, to be named Heaton Quarter.

Ian Worgan, regional managing director at Keepmoat, North East, commented: “We’re thrilled to see work start on site at this key regeneration project in this area of the city.

“Heaton Quarter is the ninth scheme in Newcastle upon Tyne that Keepmoat has undertaken in recent years in partnership with the City Council producing around 1,000 new homes and we are looking forward to working with our partners to breathe new life into the disused railway yard and deliver much needed new, energy-efficient homes to local people.”

Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail, said: “Heaton Quarter is a great example of how Network Rail can successfully work with public and private partners to unlock railway land and secure planning to enable the delivery of much needed new homes.

“Working with Newcastle City Council and Keep Moat we can transform this brownfield land, create a new community and introduce additional biodiversity across Network Rail’s estate. This represents an innovative development for Network Rail and a recognition that rail line corridors play a key in biodiversity provision across the UK.”

Nick Kemp, leader of Newcastle City Council added: Councillor Nick Kemp, Leader of Newcastle City Council, added: “The council is committed to working with developers and social housing providers to encourage the delivery of good quality homes.

“This development, which will also help us meet our net zero goals, will see a significant investment to the area and the regeneration of a brownfield site. The mixed tenure of the new homes will provide a range of housing options to meet the diverse needs of residents in our city and I look forward to seeing the finished result.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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