Castle Leazes Redevelopment - Who we Are

The buildings and their surroundings are approaching the end of their designed life so we are beginning a redevelopment project that will:

meet the needs of our future students
consider nearby residents and businesses
improve the appearance of buildings and their surroundings
deliver the highest levels of sustainability
meet the requirements of a world class University

Living in Student Accommodation

Hear students talk about what it's like living in Student Accommodation at Newcastle University. They share the reasons they chose to live with us, the features and facilities they enjoy, and what they're going to miss once they move out.

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The case for redevelopment

Our University was founded to address the economic, health and social issues our city faced in the industrial revolution. Our responsibility to the city is something we’ve never forgotten.

Students bring a wide range of economic and social benefits to the city and region. Offering modern, smart accommodation is important in attracting students to Newcastle.

What is on site presently?

The site has 17 accommodation blocks and a central management block. There are 1,254 bedrooms. Most have wash-hand basin rooms, with some en-suite rooms. The site also includes landscaping, cycle storage and recreation facilities.

students sat around a table laughing and drinking

Why not re-model the existing buildings?

We have committed to achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and developing a sustainable campus. Where possible, we try to remodel existing buildings. This reduces the environmental footprint of demolition and new build. You can read how we did this on the Stephenson Building redevelopment.

Unfortunately studies have shown that remodelling the existing Castle Leazes buildings would not meet modern expectations. The buildings have reached the end of their useful life.

The existing buildings should be demolished, and the site be redeveloped in its entirety. This will:

ensure efficient use of the site, accommodating more bedrooms
achieve a higher quality setting with modern facilities
support our sustainability ambitions

We want to hear your views

To redevelop the Castle Leazes site successfully we want to listen to local knowledge, views and opinions.

Before we submit a planning application we plan to hold consultation sessions. These sessions are in addition to the statutory consultation process for a scheme of this type. Comments and suggestions can also be submitted using the form below.

Upcoming consultation events

More consultation events are planned for:

August 2023. Feedback from the designers and early option considerations
September 2023. Showcasing the preferred option for development
November 2023. Previews of the final designs