The development of a new £1m motorbike showroom and retail facility in Gateshead is set to move ahead following tonight’s planning approval.
The former Stadium Service Station on Park Road off the Felling by-pass will receive a new lease of life under plans to regenerate the site approved unanimously by Gateshead Council planning officers.
The move, which could create up to 30 new jobs as businesses move in, will involve the development of 15,000 sq. ft of purpose-built commercial space spread across a two-storey building that will be used for motorbike sales.
Adjoining ground floor units for food and drink retail use have been signed off, while there will be onsite parking for up 37 vehicles and motorbikes as part of the scheme.
The news is the culmination of nine months of negotiations between the local authority and Hedley Planning Services.
Working closely with the developers and the council, the Hexham-based firm, which carried our analysis to ensure that the proposed development was appropriate for the site, has steered the planning application through to approval.
Associate Joe Ridgeon worked to secure permission for a scheme that he believes will contribute to revitalising a site that’s been derelict for over 10 years.
Welcoming the decision, he said the planning application clearly laid out the benefits of re-developing the brownfield site.
He added: “Not only will it create a number of new jobs directly, the scheme will also contribute to the commercial vibrancy of an important part of Gateshead, attracting new occupiers and helping to stimulate economic growth.
“As planners, we want to see the creation of sites that leave a long-lasting legacy. This one will undoubtedly have a strong commercial impact on this part of Tyneside.”
Newcastle architects Sadler Brown Associates has developed the design, working in close cooperation with the council’s urban design officer.