Newcastle Uni's £274m Castle Leazes halls set for approval
A £274m redevelopment of a student accommodation site is set to be approved on Friday, despite objections.Two accommodation blocks with more than 2,000 bedrooms will replace Newcastle University's Castle Leazes halls of residence, which is being demolished.The university said the new buildings would help deal with an "immediate and pressing shortage" of student beds.The plans are recommended for approval, but there have been concerns from locals over anti-social behaviour and a strain on services.
Castle Leazes, which was built in the 1960s, was put forward for demolition after it was deemed outdated.The replacement complex would be built around five courtyards with the housing blocks ranging between four and nine storeys in height.There will also be a gym, a café, a cinema room, and study space.
Opponents of the plans have claimed the development could "overwhelm" nearby listed buildings and place "undue pressure on local infrastructure and services".One objection submitted to the council on behalf of 73 neighbours called the proposals a "significant overdevelopment" that is "entirely out of character" with the rest of the area.It added: "We support the principle of redevelopment but not at any cost. "What has been proposed is a poorly managed, overbearing scheme that threatens to erase the character, culture, and community of one of Newcastle's most historic neighbourhoods."Increasing the size of the Castle Leazes halls from the previous 1,247 bedrooms to 2,009 has also sparked concerns about the potential for anti-social behaviour and parking problems, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.However, the university's planning application argued that increasing the size of the halls would help relieve pressure on areas like Jesmond and Sandyford.Council planners added there was "evident demand" for the larger residence and said the new housing would "sit comfortably within its surroundings".According to a report, the development would also provide "significant" economic benefits and it was "not considered that there would be an adverse impact on the amenity of nearby residents".
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