Downing has secured Gateway 2 approval from the Building Safety Regulator for its student accommodation scheme on Heber Street in Newcastle city centre.
The approval paves the way for construction to begin, with Downing intending to start on site in March 2026.
Designed by Simpson Haugh, the scheme will deliver 411 student bedrooms across a mix of 303 standalone studio apartments and 20 cluster units.
David Jenkinson, development manager at Downing, said: “Securing Gateway 2 approval is a major step forward for our Heber Street development and we’re delighted to now be moving towards a start on site. Heber Street is one of several exciting projects in our pipeline as we accelerate our strategy across key UK cities including Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Glasgow and London. We’re eager to bring this latest scheme to life, creating a modern, inspiring home for Newcastle’s growing student community.”
He added: “This really is a testament to Downing’s commitment to the Building Safety Regulations. We’ve made a substantial up-front investment to secure the level of detailed design needed for the submission and the project team has worked incredibly hard, both in preparing the initial application and in responding to regulatory feedback throughout the process. While the delay in the approval timeline is disappointing, it’s encouraging to have our first approval completed and we’re ready to take what we’ve learned forward into future applications.”
