‘City within a city’ to be built next to UK’s second largest shopping centre

Homes with serene waterfront views, public squares galore, and a completely walkable neighbourhood…

These are just some of the features planned for a forthcoming residential complex up in Gateshead.

Three miles from Newcastle city centre, Metro Riverside will come to life on the south bank of the River Tyne.

The architects are envisaging it as a ’20-minute neighbourhood,’ with a network of amenities within walking distance, including sports and leisure spaces, bars and restaurants, schools, and offices.

These early blueprints have earned it the title ‘city within a city’ online, as the new site is already projected to deliver more than 4,500 new homes, 5,000 jobs, and shiny new transport links.

The neighbouring shopping centre, Metrocentre, currently has its own railway and bus station, but the minds behind the new area are hoping to move away from locals having to rely on their own cars to get there, whether for a shopping spree or a bite to eat.

By 2045, architects LDA Design, who are working in tandem with Gateshead Council, are hoping the Metro Riverside complex will double the area’s current contributions to the local economy. Current projections place this growth at a staggering £2 billion per year.

At the moment, it’s unclear how many of the housing units will be affordable, and what kind of price points they’ll include. And, since the project is still at a relatively early stage, the business case is still being formed, and funding methods are still being firmed up.

However, LDA’s design director, Bernie Foulkes, says the proposal’s intention is, as well as bettering the local infrastructure, to enhance the sense of local community.

He said: ‘The vision for Metro Riverside was developed around two fairly simple ideas. The first was to bring a permanent, thriving community to the Metrocentre and its surrounding area.

‘The second was to connect people and place with a revived River Tyne and with nature and water. This will improve people’s lives, restore nature, and support climate resilience and adaptation well into the second half of this century.’

A £6 million expansion to the neighbouring shopping centre

There are also big plans in the works for the Metrocentre, which, despite being relatively overshadowed by the likes of Battersea Power Station or the two Westfields in London, is actually the UK’s second-largest retail hub.

When it first opened back in 1986, it enjoyed a brief stint as Europe’s largest shopping centre, and now, as it approaches its 40-year anniversary, the northern hotspot is getting a £6 million expansion.

Being the direct neighbour of the Metro Riverside project, it’s another element of the wider vision for the area.

This money will fund a hub for independent retailers called The Crescent, enhancing the connection between two of the five malls in the centre – Blue and Green.

It will be a ‘warm, welcoming space with a village-like feel’, allowing shoppers to discover 10 unique brands, new to the establishment.

That’s not all that’s new in the world of property of late.

Back down in London, Canada Water is also getting a fresh look as part of a masterplan that includes 16 new streets, a town square, and a completely revitalised high street.

In this urban dream world, residents are treated to wineries, padel courts, and rock climbing. Close by, there are 130 acres of parks and wetlands, and what developers British Land describe as ‘luxury’ apartments, ranging from studios up to three-bedroom flats.

There’s also a concierge service on hand, and roof gardens for panoramic city views.

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