Designs Revealed for a New Residential Neighbourhood in Newcastle’s Stephenson Quarter, as Local People Encouraged to Review Plans for ‘Orchard Yard’
Local people are being invited to have their say on proposals for Orchard Yard, a new residential neighbourhood that will deliver 78 sustainable homes as part of the wider Founders Place regeneration in Newcastle’s historic Stephenson Quarter.
The Orchard Yard site forms part of the former Stephenson Works, once home to the Stephenson Engineering Manufactory. Over time, the area has seen a range of industrial uses before falling into disrepair, leaving a number of historic buildings, including the Machine Shop and Smith’s Shop, in a derelict and inaccessible condition.
Delivered by sustainable developer igloo Regeneration in partnership with Newcastle City Council, Founders Place is located next to Newcastle Central Station. The ambition is to bring this internationally significant part of the city back into use and unlock its next phase – restoring, retaining and repairing heritage structures as part of a mixed-use neighbourhood, while creating a new place to live and work in the city centre.
Designed by Newcastle-based acclaimed architects FaulknerBrowns, Orchard Yard will provide a mix of homes, including apartments, duplexes and family houses, designed to create a sustainable city centre community that meets the needs of a wide range of local people for the long term.
Green spaces are integrated throughout Orchard Yard, including planted streets and shared gardens, alongside features designed to manage rainfall and support biodiversity. These spaces will form an important part of everyday life for residents, as well as improving the wider environment.
A key feature of the proposals is the re-establishment of historic routes through the site. South Street, Orchard Street and Sussex Street will be brought back into use and revitalised with new connections, improving movement through the area and strengthening links with the wider Founders Place neighbourhood and Newcastle Central Station. Ground floor spaces for small-scale commercial uses are also proposed, bringing new purpose to land that has long been closed to the public.
A two-day public consultation has been organised by developer igloo, taking place on:
Wednesday 22nd April (1–5pm) and Thursday 23rd April (12–5pm), at the Farrell Centre, The Sir Terry Farrell Building, Eldon Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RD
Visitors will be able to view the proposals, speak to the project team and provide feedback ahead of a future planning application. Those unable to attend in person will also be able to take part online.
Insiyah Khushnood, development director at igloo, said: “Orchard Yard represents an opportunity to unlock a part of Newcastle that has been neglected for many years, bringing it back into use in a way that respects its remarkable history while creating a neighbourhood where people can live and work. By retaining what is already here, re-establishing historic routes and introducing new homes, we are aiming to create a place that is both rooted in its past and designed to support a long-term community.
“As a sustainable developer, we put people, place and planet at the heart of all our developments – and that’s why community feedback is so crucial. Bringing Orchard Yard homes forward, as part of this major mixed-used regeneration scheme in the centre of Newcastle, is an important piece in the jigsaw for the city. We encourage everyone to look at our plans and meet the team who are on hand to answer questions, and we look forward to hearing people’s views.”
This latest phase follows on from the successful development of the nearby Pattern Shop; another important historical landmark linked to the Stephenson locomotive legacy. Revived and repurposed, the striking Grade II Listed building was officially opened in 2024 and is now home to Atom Bank and its workforce of around 600 people.
Igloo has also played a central role in delivering new homes and communities across Newcastle. Previous schemes include The Malings and Lower Steenbergs Yard in Ouseburn, which have transformed former post-industrial land into a thriving residential neighbourhood.
Image: Orchard Yard CGI (C) FaulknerBrowns
