The Crown Estate has submitted a planning application for a £29m project to expand the Silverlink Shopping Park in Newcastle.
The plans would replace a hotel, closed in July, with 102,000 sq ft of retail accommodation, split into four units. The largest would be earmarked for a flagship Next Home and Garden store.
The application also provides for The Crown Estate funding improvements to roads and footpaths around the site.
Subject to planning, work would start on site in spring 2015, with an anticipated completion date of autumn 2016.
Crown Estate regional portfolio manage Hannah Milne said: “Redeveloping the former hotel will allow us to bring new retailers to the park, further enhancing the shopping experience for all. At the same time, we will be creating a number of jobs locally as well as improving highway infrastructure.”
North Tyneside mayor Norma Redfearn said: “This exciting new development is great news for North Tyneside as it will bring further investment and jobs to the borough and attract more visitors to the popular Silverlink complex with its quality shops, restaurants and cinema.”
Silverlink Shopping Park comprises more than 200,000 sq ft of retail accommodation for M&S, H&M, Next, New Look, River Island, JD Sports, Boots, Outfit, Argos and Currys/PC World and others.
