The Site

A Brownfield Site with Regeneration Potential

The Pottery Lane site extends to approximately 0.9 hectares and lies between Pottery Lane to the north and the steep, vegetated escarpment of the Tyne Gorge to the south. The land was formerly occupied by the CEMEX concrete batching plant and is now cleared, with vegetation concentrated along the southern slope.

Ground Plan
Existing Site

Key Site Features

  • Located within the Forth Yards Opportunity Area, identified by Newcastle City Council for major mixed-use regeneration.
  • Short walking distance to the Quayside, Central Station, and the wider Urban Core.
  • Well-connected to bus, rail and Metro services.
  • Surrounded by emerging residential development, including The Forge and the Olympian Homes development on Pottery Lane.
  • Immediately adjacent to the Grade II listed King Edward VII Bridge.
  • On the edge of the Newcastle Central Conservation Area.
  • Sits above the Tyne Gorge, an area sensitive to height, massing and long-distance views.
  • Features a steep wooded escarpment offering ecological value and a strong landscape edge.

These characteristics highlight the importance of a context-responsive design that respects topography, heritage, townscape and ecology while contributing positively to the area’s long-term regeneration.

Policy Context

The emerging proposals are shaped by national and local planning policy, which strongly supports:

Regeneration and brownfield redevelopment, bringing vacant industrial land back into beneficial use.

Higher-density development within the city centre urban core, reducing pressure on greenfield land.

Provision of well-managed Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) to reduce pressure on traditional housing stock.

Context-responsive architecture that addresses heritage, townscape and local character.

Enhancements to green infrastructure, biodiversity and the public realm s part of a landscape-led approach.

Alignment with the Forth Yards Development Framework, which sets a vision for a vibrant, well-connected new urban neighbourhood along the river corridor.

The Forth Yards Framework identifies several early opportunities for regeneration, with Pottery Lane capable of helping to unlock wider investment and support a new mixed-use neighbourhood on the city’s edge.