Planning application submitted for landmark £56.5m One Founders Place, set to deliver exceptional workspace and new public realm

A full planning application has been submitted for One Founders Place, marking a major milestone for the £56.5 million low-carbon Grade A office development. The new business destination includes a public square and is a key part of the wider Founders Place masterplan, creating a striking new landmark in Newcastle’s historic Stephenson Quarter.  

Submitted by Founders Place LLP – a joint venture between sustainable developer igloo and Newcastle City Council – the planning application sets out proposals for a 185,000 sq. ft, 12-storey development designed by RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM).  

Located close to the site of George and Robert Stephenson’s pioneering locomotive works, where the world’s first purpose-built engine factory was established in 1823, One Founders Place is a modern expression of its industrial heritage. Designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent and WELL Building Standard accreditation, it will deliver flexible, future-ready workspace with rooftop terraces and a ground floor restaurant/café; creating an exceptional working environment in one of the city’s best-connected locations.

The building has been designed with sustainability at its core, incorporating all-electric heating and high-efficiency building systems that are expected to deliver more stable, predictable energy costs and improved indoor air quality. These features will support occupiers' sustainability ambitions while creating a healthier, more comfortable workplace. In addition, the scheme provides 104 long-stay cycle spaces, together with showers and lockers, making it easier for staff to choose active, low-cost travel.  

The scheme will also include one of Newcastle’s most significant new civic spaces -  Founders Square - transforming an area that currently lacks a major public space. Designed by landscape architects Planit, the tree-lined square will provide an attractive, informal meeting place for workers, residents and visitors, as well as improved walking and cycling connections between Central Station, the Quayside and Stephenson Quarter.  

Joe Broadley, Development Director at igloo, said:

"One Founders Place is about much more than delivering a high-quality office scheme -  it's about creating a destination that reflects Newcastle's rich industrial heritage while providing the sustainable workplaces and welcoming public spaces that modern cities need to thrive.

"This investment is helping to attract new businesses, support skilled jobs and create a bustling city neighbourhood where people want to work, meet and spend time. By combining exceptional workspace with high-quality public realm, we're creating a place that will contribute to Newcastle's long-term economic growth while celebrating the history that makes this location so distinctive."

Patrick Matheson, Partner at Knight Frank, the appointed letting agent for One Founders Place, added:

"Occupiers are increasingly looking for workplaces that help them attract and retain talent, support employee wellbeing and reflect their own sustainability ambitions. One Founders Place responds directly to that demand, combining exceptional connectivity next to Central Station with the highest environmental credentials, flexible floorplates and outstanding public realm.

“Newcastle continues to attract ambitious businesses, but there remains a limited supply of high-quality Grade A office accommodation. One Founders Place will provide a compelling opportunity for organisations looking to invest in the city and secure space that meets the expectations of today's workforce."

In addition the scheme is expected to:

• Generate around 302 full-time equivalent construction jobs annually throughout the two-year build.

• Support a further 456 jobs across the supply chain.  

• Once complete, the building will accommodate approximately 1,300 workers;

• Supporting an estimated 389 additional jobs across the local economy.

• Once fully occupied, contribute almost £80 million in annual Gross Value Added to the local economy.

The wider, multi-phased, Founders Place masterplan is bringing together new homes, workplaces, public spaces and the restoration of the site’s internationally important industrial heritage. The first completed phase, The Pattern Shop, opened in 2024 and is now fully occupied by Atom Bank, while Orchard Yard will deliver 79 homes across apartments, duplexes and family houses, alongside commercial space within the listed Machine Shop and Smiths Shop. The Coppersmiths Shop is a Grade II-listed former part of the Robert Stephenson & Co. Works which is currently being explored for potential viability and future uses.

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