Plans have emerged to turn parts of Newcastle’s Eldon Square shopping centre into flats – but its huge, empty Debenhams store is not considered suitable.
Councillors heard on Friday morning that city bosses are looking at the possibility of creating new residential developments in the city centre retail hub. Eldon Square suffered badly during the Covid pandemic, losing one of its anchor tenants when Debenhams closed and seeing its former owner Intu collapse into administration.
With the likes of Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, and Burton also going, it was announced last year that Newcastle City Council and the centre’s new owners would be launching an urgent review into its future. Michelle Percy, the council’s director of place, revealed to the local authority’s audit committee on Friday that talks had been held over potential housing developments within Eldon Square.
