A £5m transformation of Newcastle's Central Station has won the backing of council bosses, amid warnings that failing to upgrade the crucial gateway would cause a "crisis".

Plans were unveiled earlier this month for a major overhaul of the station, which are designed to cater for millions of new passengers.

The proposals will include the creation of a new western entrance opposite the Centre for Life, relocation of the station's short-stay car park and taxi rank, and a striking new open space for passengers.

Newcastle City Council hopes that this will pave the way for further regeneration of the area, including a multi-storey car park alongside new flats and offices on the Forth Goods Yard.

As local authority cabinet members agreed to support the proposals on Monday night, Coun Ged Bell said: "Central Station operates with over eight million passengers per year.

"Between now and 2023, that is expected to rise to more than 12 million. Without plans like this I would question whether Central Station would still be functional by that time.

Concept design for a refurbished Forth Street Tunnel
Concept design for a refurbished Forth Street Tunnel

"That is a serious concern. If we did not do this type of work we would end up in crisis management."

He added that the council is "desperate" to see land west of Forth Banks developed and that the prospect of revamping the station was a "fantastic opportunity for the city".

Lib Dem opposition Coun Greg Stone broadly welcomed the plans, but sought reassurances that the project would cause less disruption than the last works around the station.

Coun Bell responded that the previous alterations to parking and access at the front of the station were always meant to be temporary.

Concept design for a revamped eastern concourse at Newcastle Central Station
Concept design for a revamped eastern concourse at Newcastle Central Station

He added that taxi drivers had welcomed the new plans as it puts them closer to the platforms and will provide a "better experience" for passengers coming in and out of the station.

The £5.2m works planned by the council, which are expected to start this year, will include:

  • The creation of a new western entrance and walkway from Central Parkway, opposite the entrance of the Centre for Life's conference suite, which will connect the station to Stephenson Quarter;
  • The walkway will lead to a new public and retail space inside the station with a glazed roof, in what is currently used as a delivery area;
  • Moving the taxi rank into the existing short-stay car park at the front of the station, with taxis queuing up Bewick Street;
  • Pedestrianising the Orchard Street tunnel, where the taxi rank currently is, and cleaning it;
  • Installing a new lift inside the Orchard Street tunnel to provide additional access to the station;
  • Moving the short-stay car park into the current long-stay car park to the east of the station;
  • Refurbishing the road tunnel at Forth Street beneath the railway bridge;
  • A new access road into Forth Goods Yard, currently used as a rail yard for Network Rail, to unlock the site for developments including a multi-storey car park;

Improving traffic flow at the front of the station with better traffic signalling.

The council will pay £150,000 towards the initial proposals, with £3.3m coming from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership and remaining costs covered by London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and Network Rail subject to agreements.

Subject to planning permission, the works are expected to begin later in the year and be completed in 2021.

Further stages of development, including the multi-storey car park which Network Rail would be responsible for, could be complete by 2023.