Silverlink Developments’ £200m Stephenson Quarter scheme in Newcastle city centre has been given the go-ahead for its 10-acre development. Detailed planning permission has been awarded by Newcastle City Council.

Watson Burton law firm led the team which successfully won planning approval for the landmark development.

Bryan Riley, planning partner at Watson Burton said: “This was the largest single detailed planning application to be received by Newcastle City Council for many decades, and our planning and property departments worked extremely hard to see it through.

“It was a hefty application because the site contains many listed buildings all of which are being repaired and restored as part of this scheme.

“Listed buildings include the offices where Robert Stephenson’s engineering works gave birth to the railway age. They also cover a former coppersmith’s shop, a patent shop, JT Dove’s former buildings and a smithy’s. The buildings will all inject character to this historic area by restoring part of the city’s heritage.

“We had to work through each aspect of the vast scheme over many months to gain approval from conservation and planning officers. It is certainly one of the more complex Section 106 documents I have worked on, which makes its success all the more rewarding.”

The Stephenson Quarter will be the largest development in Newcastle for more than 20 years. It will be built adjacent to Newcastle Central Station, on a 10-acre site which includes the land on which Stephenson’s Rocket was built.

The scheme will include a new four-star hotel, another boutique hotel, 155 flats, art and business exhibition space, offices, restaurants and a 300-space multi-storey car park.

Watson Burton’s property department has been advising Silverlink from the outset, helping to acquire land, deal with Section 106 negotiations and land assembly issues, providing specialist planning advice and putting together highly complex development agreements.

Barney Frith, property partner at Watson Burton, said:  “Stephenson Quarter has the size, quality and impact to significantly change the cityscape and prospects of Newcastle.  It is rewarding to work with Silverlink on such a strategically important project from inception.

“Planning permission is a key milestone, and now we can move forward to help Silverlink bring an ambitious vision to reality which will benefit the entire region.”

The first phase of the Stephenson Quarter will focus on a new office block, a hotel, a refurbished office scheme, and a multi-storey car park.

Michelle Percy, director of Silverlink, said: “We aim to create a dynamic area that will reach out and draw people into the area, and encourage them to return.

“It’s great news that we now have planning permission, and can drive our plans forward. Watson Burton’s advice has been first-class throughout, working as part of a highly experienced team to help us achieve our aims.”