Private sector developers are being encouraged to tender to become a delivery partner on a £950m Newcastle regeneration scheme.
The Forth Yards project to the west of the city centre is the largest in a pipeline through the North East Strategic Place Partnership (NESSP), a collaboration with Homes England. It covers a 21 hectare area that is earmarked for about 2,500 new homes and more than 161,500 sqft of commercial space.
Homes England says it is looking for delivery partners with placemaking capabilities, a capacity to commit long-term to the project and to 'take risk' by investing in it. The partner will also be responsible for 'development management' services to Homes England such as site remediation and installation of enabling infrastructure - which will be funded by the housing agency.
The area includes the Forth Goods Yards, owned by Network Rail, and the Quayside West site - described as the last major undeveloped brownfield site in Newcastle - which was last year in deal intended to put the regeneration efforts back on track after the administration of a previous developer. Quayside West, next to the Utilita Arena, is intended to host 1,100 homes with subsequent acquisitions extending the scope to 2,500 homes.
The project was among Invest Newcastle's pitch to investors at the global real estate conference Mipim, which took place in the south of France last month. Homes England says it has held informal discussions with companies in the market at events such as Mipim and º£½ÇÊÓƵREiiF in the past 18 months, which has formed its proposed approach to the partnership work.
Contract dates for the work extend from June 1, 2026 to May 31 to 2036, with a possible extension to May 31, 2041. Interested parties are expected to come forward by May 12.
A tender notice for the project said: "Homes England and its public sector partners (Newcastle City Council, the North East Combined Authority & Network Rail) are keen to see this strategic site become a vibrant part of the city, via a comprehensive redevelopment programme. The partners aspire to see development of a residential led, well connected, mixed use and sustainable new community that integrates well into the existing fabric of the city.
"The opportunity for Forth Yards to be transformed into an exciting new neighbourhood, knitted into the fabric of the city, which unlocks future waterfront development to the West of the city is supported by all partners. Over the past 18 months, the partners have been working together to prepare a robust approach to redeveloping Forth Yards, concluding that a long term - private sector - delivery partner is needed to deliver to realise the full potential of Forth Yards."
