'Tremendous progress' on borough's regeneration

"Tremendous progress" is being made on a borough's regeneration, with multiple developments happening, a council leader said.

The projects in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, aim to "revitalise key sites, enhance sustainable travel and create thriving communities".

These include the redevelopments of York Place shopping centre, Midway multi-storey car park and the former Zanzibar nightclub site.

Councillor Simon Tagg, leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said the Town Deal-funded projects were "helping to transform the borough".

"We've seen tremendous progress," he added. "It's an exciting time with so many significant schemes now under way that are repurposing and redeveloping brownfield parcels of land."

He predicted the work would attract future investors "as confidence in the borough grows".

The York Place scheme is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026 and will include 42 flats, 11,148 sq ft of commercial space and a 3,046 sq ft music venue.

The Midway redevelopment will feature 111 flats along with more than 4,500 sq ft of shared facilities, including a gym and mini-cinema. It is set to be finished by summer 2027.

The vacant Ryecroft site is also being transformed into 171 homes and a new community park.

Meanwhile, permission to build 63 affordable homes and five office units on the site of the former Zanzibar nightclub on Marsh Parade was granted in October.

Funding from the government's Town Deal initiative has also been allocated for pedestrian and cycle crossings, passenger information totems and a new bus route linking Keele University to other parts of the borough.

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