Plans to reimagine three key sites in Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre — including the bold transformation of a 1960s brutalist car park — have been granted planning approval after a unanimous decision by the town Planning Committee.
The projects, designed by shedkm for Capital&Centric, will see the regeneration of existing structures and inclusion of new residential parkland, creating new sustainable neighbourhoods at Midway, Rye Park and Astley Place.
The green light marks a significant milestone in the regeneration of the town centre, underpinned by over £35 million in public investment from the Future High Streets and Town Deal Funds. Together, the schemes represent a major urban renewal initiative focused on design quality, adaptive reuse, and sustainable placemaking.
carpark
shedkm’s design for the former Midway car park reimagines the existing concrete structure as a contemporary residential development. Originally built in 1966, the building’s bold brutalist character will be retained and celebrated, with the robust concrete frame providing the structure for 111 one- and two-bedroom apartments.
The design approach prioritises sustainability through retention and adaptation. Selective removal of central slabs will open the building to natural light and ventilation, enabling the creation of generous dual-aspect homes and landscaped communal areas beneath a three-storey central atrium. Exposed, refurbished concrete soffits within each apartment pay homage to the building’s material heritage while creating distinctive interiors. Residents will benefit from a range of communal amenities all set around the social heart of the development. New landscaping and open rooftop spaces will invite residents to gather and interact, supporting the evolution of a new urban community.
rye park
At Rye Park, shedkm has proposed a complementary vision: the creation of a parkland neighbourhood on brownfield land. The masterplan features a mix of 175 new homes, including affordable housing, family townhouses and apartments, set in a new public urban park. The design draws on the site’s proximity to the town’s conservation area and surrounding road network, with new pedestrian connections and an emphasis on sustainable travel. Landscaped public spaces, play areas, and active travel routes support the wider ambition to reconnect and green the town centre.
astley place
Astley Place completes the trilogy of interventions. shedkm’s proposals retain and reuses the structural frame of the former York Place shopping centre. The scheme introduces 42 new homes alongside new commercial and cultural spaces designed to bring renewed energy to the high street.
This development also creates a new public square and plays an important civic role in drawing people back into the town centre, creating an active urban setting for both residents and visitors.
Together, Midway, Rye Park and Astley Place represent a design-led response to the challenges faced by town centres across the UK. By combining adaptive reuse, community-focused design, and new public space, shedkm’s masterplan aims to deliver sustainable growth and long-term social value.
John Moffat, Joint Managing Director at Capital&Centric, said: “Re-use isn’t always the easiest option, but it saves tonnes of embodied carbon and ultimately creates more interesting neighbourhoods. The team has taken bold architectural steps to deliver something genuinely different — a new blueprint for town centre regeneration.”
Matt Waddelow, Associate at shedkm, said: “This is a rare opportunity to challenge how we think about town centre living. At Midway and Astley place, we’re taking structures that have been overlooked for years and turning them into distinctive homes with real character alongside commercial offerings that seek to anchor these areas back into the town centre— all while dramatically reducing embodied carbon. In addition, Rye Park puts a new parkland and pedestrian connectivity at its heart – serving the needs of the town as well as the new residential development. Our designs across all three sites aim to create places that are not just sustainable, but sociable and uplifting too. It’s about making better use of what’s already there and unlocking its potential to support a thriving, walkable town centre.”