Council backs £60m urban quarter

Landmark plans for a £60m urban quarter next to Stoke-on-Trent’s train station – which are expected to create hundreds of jobs – have been backed by the council.Bowmer & Kirkland and Capital&Centric brought forward hybrid plans for the redevelopment of the former Goods Yards site, located on Glebe Street.The detailed element of the application involves the construction of a ten-storey building providing 174 apartments for rent, a café-bar in what is currently a derelict Network Rail signal box, the restoration of Vaults Warehouse, a building providing 5,000 sq ft of workspace and/or leisure uses and a new public square.Outline permission was sought for a 150-bed hotel which will be developed as part of the project’s second phase.It is anticipated that 441 full-time equivalent jobs will be created across the development, although this will be dependent on specific occupiers, as well employment opportunities during the construction phase.Plans were reviewed by the council’s planning committee on 30 March, with members voting to approve the project.