Riverside events venue at By The River Brew Co By The River Brewery Hillgate, Gateshead

What was proposed

The application proposed replacing shipping containers with an events venue, food and drink buildings, a bike shop, landscaping and a canopy.

“Proposal: Clearance of shipping containers containing street food and events market (Sui Generis) and erection of new build single storey events venue building (Sui Generis), single storey bike shop and workshop building (Class E(a), E(g)), single storey outdoor bar servery (Sui Generis), single storey ancillary store building/service sheds (Sui Generis), refurbishment of existing bar/restaurant/brewery building (Sui Generis) as a cafe/bar/restaurant (Sui Generis), and…”

“The removal of the vacant HWKRMRKT shipping container street food market and outdoor events space (located towards the eastern extent of the site). This would make way for a new 600m2 building comprising foyer/entrance area, bar, events floor, kitchen, WC and cloakroom facilities. This single storey, green roofed structure would be located just below the eastern extent of the Tyne Bridge deck and serve as a venue/events building (sui generis).”

Officer report

The site

The prominent riverfront site lies beneath the Tyne Bridge, between the Swing Bridge and HMS Calliope, within the Bridges Conservation Area.

“The application site occupies a river front location within the Tyne Gorge, located in-between the Swing Bridge (a Grade II* Listed structure and scheduled monument) to the west and HMS Calliope to the east, fronting north along the southern banks of the River Tyne. Approximately 0.72Ha in site area, the site extends from Bridge Street to the west some 200m along the Gateshead Quays and directly below the Grade II* Listed Tyne Bridge.”

“Access to the site is presently taken from Bridge Street at its western extent via a recessed gated access within the public footway close to the southern extent of the Swing Bridge, and also to the eastern extent of the site via a sloped roadway from Hillgate, adjacent to one of the southern Tyne Bridge towers. This sloped roadway also serves the adjacent HMS Calliope site to the east.”

Officer report

Earlier use and permissions

The site operated under temporary permission for container-based hospitality and mixed uses, but that permission expired in December 2022.

“Since 2018, the site has operated on a temporary basis as a hospitality led, mixed use development (HWKRMRKT) and ‘By The River Brew’ (BTRB), housed in repurposed shipping containers as consented under planning approval ref: DC/17/01082/FUL. This approval was temporary for a five-year period, expiring in December 2022. Since this time, structures have been retained on site and the wider use has operated for contained periods of time.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the permanent scheme would improve the area’s cultural, commercial and leisure offer, subject to conditions.

“Specifically, development would comprise a new build events venue, bike and workshop building, outdoor bar servery, ancillary store building/service sheds, and the refurbishment of existing bar/restaurant/brewery building as a cafe/bar/restaurant, with associated hard and soft landscaping works and a free-standing canopy structure. The existing timber decking structure that oversails the River would be retained as ancillary external leisure space.”

“Subject to the following material planning considerations, the proposed works would support major regeneration of the Quays and Baltic sub- area for a more permanent and diverse mix of cultural, commercial and leisure led uses.”

Officer report

Main planning issues

Officers considered heritage, design, neighbouring uses, transport, ecology, trees, ground conditions, flooding and drainage before concluding the scheme was acceptable with conditions.

“The key considerations to be taken into account when assessing this planning application are the principle of the development, impact on heritage assets, design/visual impact, impact on surrounding uses, transport, ecology, arboricultural impacts, ground conditions and flood risk and drainage.”

Officer report

Public representations

The application was advertised and neighbour notifications were carried out, but no representations were received.

“Three site notices were posted in strategic locations around the site and neighbour notifications carried out in accordance with formal procedures introduced in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2015.”

“The application was also advertised in the Newcastle Journal on 02 April 2025 as ‘Major Development’ and ‘Development in a Conservation Area affecting the setting of a Listed Building’.”

Officer report

Who spoke

There were no speakers at the committee meeting.

The committee’s decision

The committee granted permission subject to the listed conditions and authorised the service director to amend them as necessary.

“That permission be GRANTED subject to the following condition(s) and that the Service Director of Climate Change, Compliance, Planning and Transport be authorised to add, vary and amend the planning conditions as necessary:”

Minutes