800 mixed-use homes set for North Shields

Places for People has submitted planning permission for more than 800 new homes, businesses and shops on a former shipbuilding site in North Shields.

Some of the homes will be social housing and others will be offered on various rental and home-ownership options, said Places for People, a property management, development and regeneration company.

"We plan to invest £140 million to develop over 800 new homes, with commercial space for a small number of shops and cafes," a statement said.

"Our proposals include public areas, including a waterfront park with 'floating' gardens and cycle paths running along the river bank to help connect the [Smith's Dock] development to neighbouring communities at Royal Quays and Fish Quay."

A spokesperson for Places for People told FM World that it hopes to start construction next year if planning permission is granted. Building the homes will be done "over the coming years", she said.

The Smith's Dock shipyard opened in 1851 and was the local workforce's main employer, building many ships that served during World War II. It was still used as a ship repair yard until the 1990's.

Following its closure, the site became derelict and disconnected from the town centre and the residential neighbourhoods that it had supported.

Since taking ownership of the site in 2007, Places for People has invested around £20 million in preparatory and clean-up works. This included infilling three of the original six docks, retaining one wet dock and two adjacent dry docks. New roads and a roundabout have also been built.

In October, Places for People announced that it had fitted photovoltaic cells to the roofs of more than 100 of its properties.

Other news for Tuesday, 13 December 2011