North Tyneside Council has granted planning permission for the £30 million regeneration of the former Travelodge site opposite Silverlink Shopping Park.
The Crown Estate submitted an outline planning application to transform the former hotel into a 106,000 sq ft retail scheme, late last year.
The project, to be known as Silverlink Point, comprises a total of four units and will create 175 construction jobs and a further 300 retail jobs when the scheme is completed in autumn 2016. In order to ensure that the scheme is of benefit to the local jobs market, The Crown Estate will work in partnership with North Tyneside Council to deliver retail and construction training packages aimed at young people.
Next, which is currently based on the existing Silverlink Shopping Park, will relocate to a 52,000 sq ft flagship Next Home and Garden store at the new development. The remaining units are being targeted at furniture or homeware based retailers.
Other plans for the redevelopment include additional car parking facilities, enhanced landscaping and the widening of footpaths. Extensive road improvements are also planned to provide a new access route to the site and to Cobalt Business Park, the UK’s largest office park.
Regional Portfolio Manager, Hannah Milne, is delighted with the decision and is looking forward to progressing with the regeneration.
“The project represents a substantial investment in the local area which will enhance the shopping experience for Silverlink’s customers, create hundreds of jobs, provide youth employment opportunities, and facilitate key infrastructure improvements which will benefit the wider regeneration of this part of North Tyneside,” she said
Cllr Frank Lott, cabinet member for Economic Development at North Tyneside Council, said: “This investment in North Tyneside is excellent news, bringing fantastic new facilities to Silverlink for shoppers from across the region, creating hundreds of jobs and providing more training opportunities for local young people.”
Silverlink Shopping Park currently provides over 200,000 sq ft of retail accommodation and is home to many popular brands including M&S, H&M, New Look, River Island and Currys/PC World.
Construction is due to commence on The Crown Estate scheme in the summer of this year.
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