Salamisso Developments has unveiled plans for a new student accommodation block at the former Cemex concrete plant in Pottery Lane, Newcastle. The eight-storey building, named The Arches, would provide 405 student bedrooms on the brownfield site next to the King Edward VII railway bridge.
Proposal details
The development includes 152 single-person studio flats and 253 cluster flats with shared kitchen, dining and living facilities. The cluster flats range from three to twelve bedrooms, accounting for 62.5% of the total, while studios make up 37.5%, including 24 fully accessible rooms. Additional amenities would include a cafe, study areas, a gym, a games area, and a cinema room.
Regeneration context
The site lies within the Forth Yards area, designated by Newcastle City Council as a key regeneration zone with plans for around 2,500 new homes over the coming decades. Previous proposals for the same site were submitted in 2017 by Provincial Town Properties (271 apartments across three towers) and in 2021 by HRE (Pottery Lane) Limited (a 10-storey block), but both were withdrawn.
The planning application states the project is a “sustainable, high-quality development offering student accommodation on a central, accessible brownfield site within the city centre” and will “contribute positively to the regeneration of this brownfield site within the Forth Yards, support the city's higher education institutions and enhance the vitality of Newcastle city centre.”
