Plans to create 800 new homes as part of a £200m investment in Chinatown offer a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to breathe new life into the area, says cabinet member for housing Councillor Frank Hont.

Speaking at Your Move’s networking lunch Cllr Hont says the vision for ‘New Chinatown’ will “create 800 new homes, more than 200,000 sq ft of retail development and about 1000 jobs” with planning application for phase one already submitted.

Planning application for phase one of the regeneration has been submitted

Cllr Hont says: “[It’s] an area that we believe has been a vacant, derelict site for far too long. And our wish as a city is to turn that derelict site into a significant residential, retail development which will transform a very critical gateway into the city.

“Blok Architects have worked with us and they’ve developed a visionary plan for the transformation of the site. We’re hoping for more than 800 residential units, apartments, town houses built on the great George Street site and the commercial space.

Blok Architects’ vision for the new Chinatown

“There is a new public space linking up with the Baltic and the Ropewalks areas and hopefully a new hotel. So it’s a big scheme, it’s an exciting scheme.

“And another feature of that scheme will be the number of start-up movements for business. All together it’s going to represent an investment of £200m.

Artist’s vision of the completed ‘New Chinatown’

“One of the most important elements of the proposal is that the scheme is developed in partnership with some Chinese investors. There is the potential to create up to 200 new Chinese businesses in the area.

“Part of the scheme is to express the energy of Chinese culture and commerce for this part of the city centre.

“The development commercial team has already had massive interest from Chinese based investors and the real buzz in China about the whole project and Joe found that himself. There’s a real buzz about the development and about our links with China.

“It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to breathe new life into the Chinatown area and we feel very committed to that.”

At the foundation of the new Chinatown is giving current residents an opportunity for a new relationship with the city.

Cllr Hont adds: “New Chinatown is about new homes, new businesses. It’s about improving the offer. It’s about continuing to be a business friendly city which we believe we are but perhaps most importantly, we believe it will give existing residents an attractive area.

“People who have stuck with that Chinatown part of the city. People who believe it’s the right place to be.”

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