Newcastle Quayside flat saga could go to court again as developers launch fresh appeal

Last month, a judge ruled against a Government planning inspector's decision to allow a controversial development on the vacant Plot 12 site to go ahead. Credit: Newcastle City Council

A long running saga over development plans for new flats on the Newcastle Quayside could be debated in court again.

Last month, a judge ruled against a Government planning inspector's decision to allow a controversial development on the vacant Plot 12 site to go ahead.

Developers want to build 289 apartments on the land - one of the last empty patches left on the Quayside - but have been involved in a row with city council officials and neighbours.

Opponents of the scheme have labelled the 14-storey housing block "monolithic" and "painfully poor", with major concerns that it would block views to and from the historic St Ann's Church behind it.

There are major concerns that the new development would block views to and from the historic St Ann's Church. Credit: Google maps

Despite the High Court ruling in the objector's favour in November, applicants Packaged Living and Robertson Property are now trying to launch a fresh challenge against that verdict in the Court of Appeal.

Members of Newcastle City Council's planning committee were told on Tuesday 29 November that the court will now consider whether or not to allow an appeal hearing to go ahead, with no timescale set for a decision.

If the appeal is unsuccessful, the developers would then be left with a choice of either going through a second public inquiry on the Plot 12 plans, redesigning the scheme and submitting a new planning application, or abandoning the £40m project entirely.

The council first rejected the plans for the housing complex in 2021, with councillors voting against civic centre officers' recommendation to approve it at the time.

It was later granted on appeal following a public inquiry held in March this year, before the High Court determined last month that inspector Claire Searson made a legal error.

Critics have said that the development would "devastate living conditions" for residents of the St Ann's Quay building next door and "decimate" views to and from the church.

The developers have argued that the scheme would boost Newcastle's economy and regenerate a notoriously difficult plot of land which has lain vacant for decades.

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