A new multi-storey car park will be built a stone's throw from the Quayside after eye-catching plans were given council approval.

Gateshead Council gave the green light to proposals for the 10-storey, 1,004-space facility on Hawks Road, near Sage Gateshead.

The decision comes after leaked papers revealed £20m could be spent on a new car park at the beginning of the year.

In January, documents showed the development was discussed by the council's cabinet at a private meeting in November 2019.

Approval was given to find a contractor to deliver pre-construction services, costing around £400,000. Final plans were approved last week.

A report heard by the council's planning committee said it would replace Mill Road and South Shore Road car parks "in the short term", with Quarryfield Road to follow in the "medium term."

A design and access statement said it is needed as part of the regeneration of Gateshead Quays.

It said: “The commission of this new high-quality multi-storey car park is another step toward fulfilling the vision for the regeneration of Gateshead Quays as a vibrant mixed-use community with arts and culture at its heart alongside a real living, working environment.

“This project represents the next phase of development complimenting the completed RIGA and the proposed second speculative office building at Baltic Business Quarter.”

The document also claimed extra parking is needed as a result of “growing demand” and to aid the planned £260m Gateshead Quays development.

It added: “The requirement for a new multi-storey car park is driven by the growing demand in the business quarter and the provision of much-needed capacity to support the new arena and conference centre.”

Meanwhile, the design takes influence from the demolished Trinity Car Park, which was immortalised in the film Get Carter.

The statement added: “We have looked to the now-demolished ‘Get Carter’ car park for inspiration in developing a language for the façade system with reference to the brutalist geometries which originally formed the stairways and shop fronts that sat below the car park.”