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The 80,000 sq ft development is to be built on Gateshead Quayside, directly in front of the city’s Millennium Bridge and between the existing Sage Gateshead building and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.
It will include a 12,500 capacity event venue, two hotels, bars, restaurants, car parking and extensive areas of public realm.
Sir Robert McAlpine’s client is Ask:Patrizia, an Anglo-German joint venture of Ask Real Estate and Patrizia AG, which is Gateshead Council’s development partner for the quayside.
HOK is architect for the new arena and overall masterplan, while AHR Architects is designing the hotel element. The project team also includes: Legends as project manager and contract administrator; Gardiner & Theobald as quantity surveyor; Arup as consulting engineer; and Vectos for transport planning.
Ask Real Estate managing director John Hughes said: “Sir Robert McAlpine has a reputation for technical excellence and delivering complex developments safely, on time and within budget.”
Gateshead Council chief executive Sheena Ramsey said: “The appointment of Sir Robert McAlpine brings us a huge step closer to delivering this world class events destination for the region and we’re glad to have them on board. This development will act as a catalyst for renewed economic growth, maximising local employment, training and supply chain opportunities. This is about being ambitious for Gateshead, we need everyone in the borough to be able to fulfil their true potential and projects like this create the conditions for them to thrive.”
Sir Robert McAlpine regional managing director Mark Gibson said: “We are looking forward to making a start as soon as the planning process is completed.”
A full planning application is expected to be submitted early 2020, paving the way for the new complex to open in 2023.
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