28/5/2008 Leading hotel group set for Downing Plaza

Downing has confirmed it is in advanced talks with Europe’s leading hotel group Accor to operate a four-star Novotel at its £200 million Downing Plaza scheme in Newcastle city centre.

The 183-bed hotel will form the centre piece of the property group’s 600,000 sq ft mixed-use development at the former Scottish and Newcastle Brewery site.

Located in a 17-storey stainless steel-clad building the hotel will incorporate full leisure, restaurant and conference facilities. In additional to the 183 hotel rooms it will feature 101 serviced apartments under the Adagio City Aparthotel brand – a 50/50 joint venture between Accor and Pierre & Vacances.

French-owned Accor is one of the world''s largest hotel companies with over 4,000 hotels worldwide, including the Sofitel, Mercure, Novotel and Ibis brands.

Paul Houghton, director at Downing, said: “Downing Plaza has already been a major success story, with over half of the commercial space pre-let in a record deal. Attracting one of the world’s leading hotel operators is further acknowledgement of the quality of the scheme and will make for a stunning addition to Newcastle’s hotel scene.”

In February Downing Plaza achieved the city’s largest ever commercial pre-let when Newcastle University Business School took 100,000 sq ft in a 22-year deal.

The remaining 100,000 sq ft of commercial space has now been released with agents storeys:ssp receiving strong interest from potential tenants.

Demolition work has now begun at the site to make way for the construction of the development’s six new iconic buildings, designed by Ian Simpson Architects.


Downing Plaza represented the largest planning application to be lodged in Newcastle since 1973. On completion it will form the gateway to Newcastle’s Science City master plan and feature 200,000 sq ft of offices, a 462-bed student village, 24 residential apartments, retail space and basement car parking.