A PLANNING application has been submitted for Newcastle’s £100m Giants on the Quayside development – featuring Europe’s tallest observation wheel.

Developer World Wheel Company has submitted a detailed application to Newcastle City Council for its proposal.

The project will be built around a giant observation wheel – dubbed ‘The Whey Aye’. Standing nearly 140 m high, the wheel will be five metres taller than the London Eye.

It is anticipated that the project will see about £100m invested in the city and up to 800 jobs created.

The development will feature a family entertainment centre filled with trampolines, climbing walls, a skywalk and separate café.

The ‘Giant Sport Deck’ will comprise a multi-purpose play and sports complex, with covered five-a-side pitches and tennis courts available for public hire, as well as a state-of-the-art virtual golf club called The Quayside Golf Club.

Its clubhouse bar will offer food and beverages before golfers can play some of the world’s most famous courses in private, best-in-class simulator experiences.

Plans also include a700 sq m LED digital screen on the facade of the visitor centre, at the base of ‘The Whey Aye’, which will be used to communicate information about local culture and events as well as social media content and advertising.

Phil Lynagh, chief executive officer of World Wheel Company said: “We are proposing a £100m regeneration and inward investment project that will create local jobs and ongoing revenue for the regional economy. After working on our plans for the Giants on the Quayside for nearly two years, we’re very pleased to be formally submitting our planning application for this world class development.

“Newcastle City Council planners are currently checking that all the necessary documentation has been submitted and our application will then be uploaded to the planning portal on the council’s website, sometime early in the New Year. Once the application has been checked the council will carry out a formal consultation on the proposal. Any representations should be submitted to the council in writing via its planning public access web site.”

New computer-generated images revealed by the developer show the observation wheel lit at night and give a first look at the interior of the five-storey Wheel Terminus building, which will contain up to 9,568 sq yd (8,000 sq m) of commercial space. Designed to feature a multi-storied, vertical courtyard, the Wheel Terminus boasts a light and impressive welcome area with views up the atrium to the Whey Aye above, whilst the vast ground floor takes on the character of an industrial hub.

An iconic wall of escalators forms the backdrop of the Terminus, reaching high above the admissions counter on the ground floor and looking up towards the wheel above. The interior also features a glider rail and slide giving visitors an exhilarating descent after riding the wheel.

Nigel Hartley, marketing director of World Wheel Company, added: “This development will truly set Newcastle apart as a destination for first-class leisure and entertainment. We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to our proposed plans so far and we look forward to a formal response to our application from Newcastle City Council.”