If you live outside the Towers | Blackshots Estate redevelopment

You can view our Blackshots Hub site for more information and to have your say

Why this work is needed

The 3 tower blocks – Bevan House off Laird Avenue, Morrison House on Jesmond Road, and Keir Hardie House on Milford Road – were built during the 1960s. Each has 12 storeys.

They have provided homes for families over many decades, but now many millions of pounds would need to be spent on them to keep up with modern standards.

We believe residents deserve better housing and better value for money. That’s why we've decided to demolish the tower blocks and build new homes in their place.

The new homes will be fit for modern living, meet energy efficiency needs and give residents access to good quality, affordable new homes.

Current site overview

The photos below show the layout of the current site and its 3 tower blocks. Keir Hardie House is to the north (top-right), with Bevan House and Morrison House to the south (bottom).

The red lines in the second photo shows the 2 proposed development areas that were agreed by councillors at a Cabinet meeting in March 2023.

Images courtesy of Google Earth.

For proposed new designs, go to:

design overview – north

design overview – south

Residents' design charter

A residents' design charter is a set of principles, agreed with residents, that help to guide the design of developments. The charter can help to guarantee the qualities that are important for residents. It can serve as a useful reminder throughout the development.

After listening to residents' comments, we have agreed the following 5 principles:

1. Well designed homes must suit a range of needs

The tower blocks' flats in Blackshots are inflexible and poorly suited to the residents’ needs. We will provide homes that have good light, private space and decent storage.

2. Provide safe streets

The streets around the towers are poorly overlooked and can feel unsafe. We will provide overlooked well-lit safe streets so residents feel comfortable walking to their front door.

3. Create beautiful and usable open spaces

We will create open public spaces for play, rest and leisure. We will relocate the tennis courts in a nearby area that's easy to access.

4. Develop efficient and well built homes

The tower blocks' flats in Blackshots were poorly built and are too expensive to heat. The new development will provide much higher-performing energy-efficient dwellings.

5. Enhance ecology and biodiversity

We will enhance biodiversity across both sites with many landscape improvements, greener spaces, green links and new tree planting.

Past Events

Past events

Residents were invited to talk with our Decant Officer and our Allocations Project Officer at drop-in events in 2024. Our Decant Officer gave advice to those moving out of their homes due to demolition of the estate towers. Our Allocations Project Officer where there to answer questions about housing applications for those who applied to move from the towers into another council property.

Drop-in events took place in the portable cabin between Bevan House and Morrison House on:

31 July 2024
29 August 2024
25 September 2024
30 October 2024
27 November 2024

Previous consultations and surveys:

Previous community events:

19 July 2023 – meet the team: tell us about the place
9 August 2023 – estate action day to discuss what might be possible
6 September 2023 – discussions about early designs for homes and place
12 October 2023 – exhibition of final design proposal, including residents' feedback
January 2024 – 3 drop-in sessions to get information about decants and allocations
27 March 2024 – drop-in session
24 April 2024 – drop-in session
26 June 2024 – drop-in session