Primesite Developments has submitted plans this month for Hawks Mill, a new mixed-use residential development situated in Gateshead with an estimated GDV of £44 million. The proposed 17-storey tower will neighbour The Sage and the Millennium Bridge, and is set to offer one of the best city views of Newcastle waterfront.
Primesite Developments acquired the site, which was formerly a wine warehouse and disused office space, in May 2017. A new, ambitious planning application has now been submitted to the council to expand on the existing approved plans, almost doubling the development’s current proposed size from 80,000 ft2 to over 142,000 ft2.
Planning permission is currently in place at the site for a purpose-built student accommodation block containing 326 beds. Primesite Developments has submitted subsequent plans for a mixed-use residential development comprising 530 beds, under a suis generis application which will allow the site to accommodate both university students and private residents. The additional units will be provided through the incorporation of an adjoining warehouse to the rear of the building.
The development will feature a mixture of studio, one, two and three bed apartments, totalling 386 units. The proposed plans also include a cycle café, convenience store and games room at the lower levels, as well as a library, gym, spa, private roof terraces, and a double height bar on the upper levels, providing expansive views of the Tyne and the Newcastle skyline. Construction will commence in January 2018, with an expected completion date of August 2019.
The design has been created to encompass an array of amenities integral to modern living, that will encourage interaction and promote a sense of community. Bobbie Johnson, director at Primesite Developments, commented:
“The aim with Hawks Mill is to create not just accommodation, but an entire community, and a development from which you can run your whole lifestyle. We feel that the new planning application really reflects this, featuring lots of communal facilities. The transition to a mixed-use residential tower will welcome key workers and young professionals as well as students, acting as a microcosm of wider society. We feel confident that Hawks Mill will add to the vibrancy and dynamism of Gateshead, as well as offering one of the best views of the quayside.”
The site is ideally located for both students and workers, being a fifteen minute walk away from Newcastle city centre, and twenty minutes away from the campus buildings of Newcastle University and Northumbria. The Millennium Bridge, the Sage, and the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art are all in the immediate vicinity, and the quayside is just a five minute walk from the site.
Hawks Mill will be the first major project for Primesite Developments in the North East, as the company begins to expand its predominantly North West portfolio to encompass nationwide sites.
