COUNCILLORS have approved plans for the development of a £260m events destination which will see the creation of around 2,000 new jobs.

The plans, at Gateshead Quays, include an arena, exhibition and conference centre, hotels, and new public spaces.

They were submitted by Ask:PATRIZIA, which has appointed Sir Robert McAlpine to build the complex, to Gateshead Council.

Work will start before the end of the year with construction expected to commence in March 2021 and the new complex will open late 2023.

The arena will host first class entertainment and sports alongside international conferences, meetings and exhibitions as well as festivals and cultural events.

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon said: “Our long-term aspiration has always been to bring internationally recognisable facilities of this scale to not just Gateshead but the entire region.”

An announcement on the hotel operator is expected to be made in the coming weeks.

Councillor Gannon said: “This project is transformational, and today’s decision signals confidence in the North-East.

Newcastle and Gateshead Quays will be a global leader in entertainment, leisure, and hospitality but most importantly it is about creating new employment and training opportunities for thousands at a time when they are badly needed.

“Despite the current challenges, we need to remember the worth of the events industry.

“We look forward to opening the venue late 2023.”

The scheme includes elevated areas with panoramic views across the River Tyne and 40 new seating areas as well as cycle provision across the site and capacity for electric vehicle charging points within the council’s new multi-story car park.

Speaking on behalf of the Ask:PATRIZIA partnership John Hughes, managing director of Ask Real Estate said: “We have worked closely with the Council and the wider stakeholders to ensure this regeneration scheme delivers maximum benefit to the wider region and will put this iconic waterfront on the map internationally.

“We have brought together a world-class team of designers, architects and operators to deliver this scheme which will be one of Europe’s key cultural locations.

“We look forward to now starting construction work and bringing these superb public facilities to life.”

He continued: “The arena, hotel and conference centre completes this iconic waterfront location and will not only create jobs but provides the people of Newcastle and Gateshead with an exciting new leisure destination and a state of the art music venue where they can see some of the world’s greatest bands perform right on their doorstep.”

Tom Lynch, Director of Business Development, Europe for ASM Global added: “This ambitious and transformational development will create a genuinely unique events campus with an iconic waterfront location.

ASM Global has enjoyed over 25 years of success in the North East and we look forward to leveraging our global and local partnerships with leading entertainment, sports, corporate, convention and exhibition event producers, to cement Newcastle and Gateshead’s reputation as a sought-after business, leisure and cultural destination.”