Northumberland, North Tyneside Redevelop Historic Schools into Housing Estates

Two major redevelopment projects are underway involving former educational buildings. In Northumberland, the Duke of Northumberland’s property arm received approval to convert the Grade-II listed Duke’s Middle School, closed since 2016, into 13 apartments plus 46 homes on the adjoining site, despite some local opposition concerned about development on designated green space. Meanwhile, in North Shields, North Tyneside Council approved plans to demolish the modern section of Queen Alexandra Sixth Form College, closed in 2024, to build a 47-home estate, with council and planning officials emphasizing the benefits of revitalizing the site and providing much-needed housing while preserving the original Grade II listed building. Additionally, Grantham College is demolishing a collapse-prone link block built with unsafe reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) to replace it with new classrooms and teaching spaces, funded by the School Rebuilding Programme to address safety concerns.