Inside Capital&Centric’s £35m Karparc
A fresh image has been released of architect shedkm’s design for the proposed residential conversion of a 1960s car park in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Scheduled to complete in the middle of 2027, the project will feature a full-height atrium cut through the existing structure to let natural light into the space.
The proposed development will contain 111 apartments and cost £35m to deliver. The project team includes project manager Pierre Anglaire; QS Arcadis; structural engineer Curtins; and MEP engineer Futureserv.
The designs use planting that will spill down from roof terraces to ground level, “softening the raw concrete frame and bringing a sense of calm to the heart of the building”, the developer said.
Capital&Centric believes this is the first time a multi-storey car park has been converted into homes in the UK.
Martin Crews, development director of Capital&Centric said: “This is exactly the kind of bold, innovative transformation we’re known for. Plenty of people said turning a multi-storey car park into homes was pie in the sky. When we submitted planning, we were told it would never happen. Now it’s under construction and we’re making it real.
“The next step is getting people to want to live here – and the way we do that is through brilliant design. This project leans into those raw, ‘60s retro vibes, with exposed concrete and loads of character. We’ve taken cues from iconic mid-century projects like the Barbican, and as this image shows, it’s going to look incredible.”
Simon McEneny, deputy chief executive of Newcastle-under-Lyme Council, said: “This structure has been a familiar landmark in the town for decades.
“However, this representation of how the site will look once it is complete shows why this innovative project, part of the wider multi-million pound regeneration of Newcastle’s town centre, is provoking international interest and will become a new landmark in its own right.”
The project is part of a wider £90m regeneration of Newcastle-under-Lyme, recently backed by a £19m funding boost from Homes England. It sits alongside Capital&Centric’s other upcoming town centre sites, Astley Place in the former York Place shopping centre, and Rye Park in the Ryecroft area.
