Approval for major Eldon Square transformation

Major plans to revamp Eldon Square with new leisure venues have been green lit.Last November, the centre revealed that it would transform about 200,000 sq ft of vacant floorspace into a family leisure attraction which will offer indoor sports and entertainment across parts of the centre including the former Eldon Leisure Centre site.Under the plans, the circa 120,000 sq ft venue will include arcade games, virtual reality, crazy golf and electric karting.Additionally, the top floor of the former Debenhams department store will be redeveloped into a space which will mix food, socialising, art, cultural entertainment and music performance.By removing limited parts of the building’s roof, there will also be a recessed external seating area with a retractable roof.A new NEXT department store is set to occupy the rest of the former department store, after a major leasing deal was signed.Once operational, it is estimated that about £16m will be added to the city’s economy every year, with more than 400 additional jobs created.Speaking when the application was submitted, Cormac Hamilton, general manager of Eldon Square, called the proposals “genuinely exciting”, adding that they could boost employment by about 20 per cent.Newcastle City Council’s Planning Committee approved the plans at a meeting on Friday 12 April.