A major hotel development on the Gateshead Quayside that neighbours feared would leave them living in darkness is set to be relocated in a bid to cut costs, it has emerged.
The Chronicle revealed earlier this year how residents of the Baltic Quays apartments held major worries about an 11-storey hotel, planned as part of the visions for a new Quayside arena and conference centre, looming over their homes. It was claimed in March that the dual-branded Novotel and Ibis would leave the flats next door feeling “like a Victorian prison”.
But, in a surprise announcement on Monday afternoon, the developers behind the £300m riverside complex unveiled proposals to relocate the controversial hotel to a new site behind the proposed arena – and build a park where it was originally meant to be. The news comes amid uncertainty over the future of the arena development, to be known as The Sage, with Gateshead Council having asked the Government for £20m of Levelling Up funding to help cover escalating building costs.
