Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ see construction of new Castle Leazes Published on: 12 June 2026 The Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ and other key stakeholders have become an indelible part of new student accommodation at Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Castle Leazes. They visited the site and signed a steel beam which will be integrated into the structure of the first of two buildings, which will open in time for the 2028/29 academic year. The visit provided the opportunity to see the redeveloped site beginning to take shape. The redevelopment of Castle Leazes is a joint venture between Â鶹´«Ã½ and , the UK’s largest owner, manager and developer of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), and the first of its kind in the UK. , who have been the guardians of Â鶹´«Ã½’s Moors and open spaces for more than 800 years, were represented by David Wilson, Chair of the Freemen, who was joined by Councillor Joyce McCarty and representatives of project funders, Rothesay Life. They were shown the redevelopment by Nick Collins, Chief Financial Officer, Â鶹´«Ã½, and Simon Jones, Group Higher Education Director, Unite Students. The scheme has been designed with sustainability and the needs of modern students at its core and was given planning permission by Â鶹´«Ã½ City Council in May 2025, including approval for the construction of a new path across Leazes Moor to improve accessibility to the main university campus. Nick Collins said: “The redevelopment of Castle Leazes, working in partnership with Unite Students, is a key part of our strategy to enhance the student experience by providing high-quality student accommodation. The project has been made possible through a strong collaborative effort with a number of key stakeholders in the city, including the Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½, Â鶹´«Ã½ City Council, our local councillors and many others like our funders Rothesay. So we were delighted to show them the progress we’re making on construction and to explain how the project will contribute to preserving the Castle Leazes site for the future as well as provide significant benefits to the city’s economy.” Simon Jones said: “We designed this development in partnership with Â鶹´«Ã½ to deliver modern, affordable accommodation for students close to campus while also preserving the moor’s protected green spaces. We’ve worked closely with the Freemen and local community throughout the planning process and it’s a pleasure to be able to show them the progress we’re making in bringing our vision for Castle Leazes to life.” When the redevelopment is complete there will be two new buildings, each sub-divided into 12 blocks of modern and sustainable living spaces for students. The design for the Castle Leazes redevelopment was shaped through extensive consultation with the local community. The new site will create 2,000 purpose-built bedrooms and offer increased communal areas, including social hubs, games rooms, study spaces, and outdoor courtyards, designed to foster a sense of community. David Wilson, Chair, Stewards Committee, the Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne, said: “We are excited for the potential of the newly developed site to provide a wonderful experience for students and to be something which will contribute positively to the city. The site has a wonderful location in relation to the city, the University and of course is uniquely adjacent to Castle Leazes Moor. “We look forward to working together to make this the best it can be and to realise all of the benefits for students, the University, Unite, the city and all other stakeholders.” Pictured left to right, are David Wilson, Chair Stewards Committee, the Freemen of Â鶹´«Ã½ upon Tyne; Councillor Joyce McCarty; Taran Patel, Rothesay Life; Blair Leslie, Rothesay Life; Simon Jones, Group Higher Education Director, Unite Students; Professor Chris Day, Vice Chancellor and President, Â鶹´«Ã½; and Nick Collins, Chief Financial Officer, Â鶹´«Ã½. Latest News Local knowledge can improve early warnings of glacial lake floods Local knowledge, improved evacuation preparedness and resilient mobile phone-based communication channels can enhance Early Warning Systems to reduce loss of life during glacial lake outburst floods. published on: 3 August 2026 Funding boost moves landmark cancer research centre a step closer A £1.25 million grant from the Wolfson Foundation to Â鶹´«Ã½ has brought the Sir Bobby Robson Institute a significant step closer, giving a major boost to its fundraising campaign. published on: 3 August 2026 Statement on potential unauthorised data access Information about a potential unauthorised data access. published on: 30 July 2026 Facts and figures
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