Newcastle University, in partnership with Genr8 Kajima Regeneration, has secured planning consent for the £500 million Health Innovation Neighbourhood masterplan, which will transform a former 29-acre general hospital site into a new, ambitious neighbourhood combining high-quality housing alongside public realm allied to modern healthcare, education and community facilities that will foster research, innovation and enterprise. Leveraging Newcastle University’s leadership in ageing research, the development will feature advanced infrastructure to support housing solutions that promote longer, healthier lives.

The masterplan includes 350,000 sq ft of research and innovation facilities, 350,000 sq ft of business, employment and education space, 100,000 sq ft of NHS and other health-related facilities, alongside 1,250 new homes, up to 15% of which will be affordable. The residential space is intended to deliver a range of multigenerational dwellings across a variety of tenures including, co-living units, market rent, later and supported living homes and specialist housing.

Planned developments include a hub which would support local community needs through digitally enhanced services, including community-accessible facilities, a café, digital learning spaces, and areas for innovation, research, training, and office use. It would be designed to establish a new southern entry point and frontage on Newcastle’s Westgate Road.

The redevelopment will include two sustainable transport hubs to support the site’s new uses, public realm, and spaces allocated for business, employment and leisure. Additionally, the masterplan incorporates green corridors and envisions development plots centred around the public green heart of the site enhancing connectivity with the existing neighbouring communities through new east-west links across the site.

The Health Innovation Neighbourhood is a joint venture partnership between Newcastle University and Genr8 Kajima Regeneration Ltd (GKRL), who together formed Newcastle Genr8 Kajima (NGK) in March 2022. Newcastle University will leverage its previous successes including the Helix and the National Innovation Centre for Ageing, alongside the regeneration expertise of GKRL to deliver a world-leading example of intergenerational living, co-locating education, health and a spectrum of residential developments and workspace.

Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President of Newcastle University, said: “Our planned Health Innovation Neighbourhood builds on our world-leading expertise in healthy ageing and will be the first of its kind in the UK, tackling major health and social challenges with the aim of identifying solutions that will benefit people here in the North East and beyond.

“We are delighted that the detailed masterplan of our exciting development has been given the green light to put ageing and health at the heart of a flourishing community which will bring together research, innovation, commerce and living.”

Richard Ingham, Director, Genr8 Kajima Regeneration, said: “The Health Innovation Neighbourhood scheme has an ambitious vision to create a global exemplar for innovation in sustainable living and the longevity economy. We aim to develop a neighbourhood where housing, the environment, infrastructure, research, and education will drive and inform healthy living across all life stages. We are proud to be a part of a project that will ultimately help people live longer and healthier lives.”

GSSArchitecture has developed the masterplan, working with Pegasus Group who have provided planning advice.