Urban Splash and Places for People bring bold designs to North Tyneside

The joint venture partners are redeveloping the former Smith’s Dockyard, creating a total of 815 new homes and waterfront public realm spaces. Today’s decision sees them granted permission to deliver 80 apartments across two buildings known as the Smokehouses – which will be situated at the front of the site just south of the ferry terminal and Brewery Bond warehouse. The striking buildings will be unique in their design and act as a new landmark for the local area.

The news comes just a year after the JV was granted approval for the development of 34 hoUSes at the scheme. hoUSe is an award-winning modular family housing development allowing customers to buy architect-designed homes; Smith’s Dock will be only the second site in the country where these exclusive homes are available.

Speaking of the news, Places for People Group director Mary Parsons said: “We are thrilled to have received planning consent for another phase of Smith’s Dock, adding apartments to the intended residential mix.

“We are truly grateful for the support of the Council who have remained positive about the redevelopment of this site; I am delighted that they have once again made a firm commitment which will enable us to not only bring fantastically designed homes and apartments to the area, but crucially create somewhere that local people will be proud of.”

The first phase of the ambitious Smith’s Dock masterplan will start the process of bringing an important historic site back into use as a vibrant, new, riverside community centering around three dock basins. Future phases will also open up new connections along the river between Fish Quay and Royal Quays.

The masterplan received consent in 2013 with remediation works and new surrounding infrastructure being the priority for the developers until now. Mary continued: “We have made great strides in preparing this site for development and we’re now at the pivotal point; this is where the local people of North Tyneside will see tangible development coming to fruition.”

Added Urban Splash director Simon Gawthorpe: “Our designs for the Smokehouses are bold and iconic; featuring obvious tributes to the local heritage. We hope that they will fast become a point of reference for the local community. Crucially, both the Smokehouses and hoUSe will give local people an unparalleled opportunity to buy fantastically designed homes unique in the area.

“Smith’s Dock one of our flagship projects and a fine example of how to take an important piece of land, embrace everything the community loves about it and turn it into somewhere contemporary where people want to live, visit and enjoy.”

Smith’s Dock is the third joint project on which Places for People and Urban Splash will work; the companies continue their dual efforts in transforming Park Hill in Sheffield where 300 homes have already been created. The first hoUSes and show home at Smith’s Dock will be launched later this year.