A fresh attempt is being prepared to restart one of Newcastle's longest-stalled regeneration projects, with Newcastle City Council expected to approve the sale of an extra patch of land at Spillers Quay to PfP-igloo next week. The move is intended to kickstart development on the Malmo and Spillers Quay sites, which have been mired in controversy for over five years.
History of Grand Plans and False Starts
The riverside land next to the River Tyne has seen numerous ambitious proposals over the years, but none have come to fruition. The most famous was the 'Whey Aye', a 460ft tall observation wheel planned for the former Spillers flour mill site, alongside a leisure complex featuring a 39ft human-shaped statue called The Geordie Giant and a virtual golf club. The World Wheel Company's vision was revealed in 2019 and approved by Newcastle City Council despite local opposition, but planning permission lapsed in 2023 with no construction ever starting.
Earlier controversy dates back to the early 2000s with the proposed 'Wimpey Tower' skyscraper, which would have been Newcastle's tallest building at 290ft. That plan was abandoned after public outcry, replaced by a 13-storey residential development with a six-storey office building, a restaurant, and a public square, which was granted planning permission on appeal but never built.
Recent Proposals and Public Opposition
In 2014, joint venture company Carillion-igloo, chosen by the council and the Homes and Communities Agency to lead the Lower Ouseburn Valley overhaul, unveiled plans for Malmo Quay including 60 apartments and a public viewing platform. That plan also came to nothing. PfP-igloo later proposed an 18-storey block of flats on Malmo Quay in 2021, which drew hundreds of objections over its impact on the view from the Free Trade Inn pub. The tower was labelled an eyesore and likened to a cheese grater before the developers scaled back their concept.
The most recent public proposals came in April 2025, featuring a 10-storey housing block, 13 townhouses, and a new building for the Cycle Hub on Malmo Quay, with 80 flats across buildings capped at four storeys on Spillers Quay.
Council's Next Step
Newcastle City Council said selling the extra land would create a "larger and more viable development parcel" for the largely vacant area. No new building proposals have been put forward yet, but council leader Colin Ferguson said the new approach would be "much more considered" and "significantly reduces the scale of development previously put forward for Malmo Quay".
