Green light for Staffordshire homes

Capital & Centric has been given the go-ahead to create a residential-led neighbourhood on the site of former Midway car park, Ryecroft and York Place shopping centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. The developer is set to bring forward 328 homes alongside a car park, 11,150 sq ft of shops, a music venue and new hang out spots for the community. The scheme also features a social hub, gym, mini cinema and lounge. The regeneration of the town centre has seen £35m investment from Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and the Government’s Future High Street Fund and Town Deal Fund. Capital & Centric expects to start work on the site later this year. John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital & Centric, said: “Most developers would have demolished these tired and under-utilised buildings but instead we’ve come up with a creative way to deliver new housing and reboot the town centre with new vibrant communities. “The council bought into our vision to do something different and give these spaces a new lease of life. Re-use isn’t always the easiest option but it saves tonnes of embodied carbon and ultimately creates more interesting neighbourhoods – imagine being the first to say you live in a former car park!”