Strawberry Buildings, Leazes Park Road
The N&N reviewed the planning application (2023/1823/01/DET) in December 2023. The comments submitted to Newcastle City Council are as follows:
The Northumberland and Newcastle Society (N&N) supports grant of approval for this scheme subject to the following comments.
The Society notes this scheme adds further student accommodation to an area of the city which has attracted substantial development in recent years. We accept this scheme is responding to a generic requirement and will fulfil an important reuse of a vacant retail site that has no other obvious viable, sustainable proposals.
In our assessment this appears to be a higher quality building than the existing Vita block on Strawberry Place. We note the design has been subject of reduction in height by one storey, however we still feel it is too bulky and tall for the setting. We would suggest it could be stepped down a storey or two at some point on the Leazes Park Road facade to reduce the dominance on the street scene there. It is evident this area of the city is building up quite a student monoculture and we would wish to see a more eclectic mix of building types to maintain a greater sense of community.
[Image ©Vita Group]
