26-storey scheme by FaulknerBrowns will harm historic city centre setting, councillors admit

Newcastle city council has approved a 26-storey residential tower despite acknowledging it will harm the setting of nearby historic structures, including the grade I listed Town Walls.

The FaulknerBrowns Architects-designed block, earmarked for the site of a derelict warehouse on Rutherford Street in the city centre, was praised by planning officers for its 鈥渂old, contemporary and exciting鈥� statement that would result in a landmark building.

But both government heritage adviser Historic England and the Newcastle Conservation Advisory Panel said the proposals 鈥� which would deliver 162 flats targeted at the private-rented sector 鈥� would have a damaging impact on nearby listed buildings.

And council planning officers accepted the harm the block would cause 鈥� but insisted the impact would be 鈥渓ess than substantial鈥�, meaning that it did not outweigh the benefits of the scheme in planning-policy terms.

鈥淭here is therefore a strong presumption against planning permission being granted and this presumption has been given considerable importance and weight by officers in reaching their recommendation to approve the scheme,鈥� they said.

 

Rutherford Street, Newcastle

The tower will overlook nearby listed buildings

 

Councillors were told that benefits of the scheme would include bringing the site back into use, providing new housing, delivering council tax and New Homes Bonus income, supporting local businesses and public-realm improvements connected to the approval.

The Rutherford Street site is next to the dome-topped Grade II-listed Co-operative Print Works building, around 60m from the Town Walls, and near the grade II-listed Charlotte Square and the restored 13th Century Blackfriars Dominican Priory, which is grade I listed.

Historic England concluded: 鈥淭he tower would intrude upon the setting of each asset, causing a slight to moderate degree of harm to their significance.鈥�

But FaulknerBrowns partner Paul Rigby said the practice was 鈥渆xtraordinarily proud鈥� of the Rutherford Street block鈥檚 design and of councillors鈥� decision to approve the proposal.

鈥淲e believe this development will create a positive landmark for the city, representative of its ambitious and forward thinking outlook,鈥� he said.

Andrew Rennie, managing director of developer Citygrove, said the tower would give a 鈥渘ew lease of life鈥� to a derelict brownfield site in the city centre.

 

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