A REVAMP of the Newcastle General Hospital site which leaders claim will create 1,000 jobs has been given the go-ahead.

A Campus for Ageing and Vitality will be built alongside a 24-hour supermarket on the Westgate Road site, in a £100m scheme by the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle University and Tesco.

It is hoped the development, including labs and offices for academic staff, will attract investment from firms specialising in the business of ageing health and cement the city’s reputation as a world leader for research into conditions associated with getting older.

But the scheme had proved controversial because of the involvement of Tesco, which will buy a section of land on the site on which to build a 8,360sqm supermarket selling food as well as a range of other goods.

The planning application attracted 152 letters of objection, along with several petitions bearing 1,180 signatures. A total of 184 letters of support were also received, along with 679 names from petitions of people pleased with the idea of having a local supermarket.

Earlier plans were thrown out in February 2009, but councillors approved a new outline planning application for the site by 11 votes to three after they were told officers were now happy with the proposals.

Phase one of the scheme will involve building the Tesco superstore with underground car park and a walk-in health centre on the site of the Weston Court building, which will be demolished.

A series of other retail units will also be built. Phase two will see the offices and research labs constructed, along with a multi-storey car park.

A new “tree-lined boulevard” for walkers and cyclists will be created through the site, from Westgate Road to Nuns Moor Road. A care home is also proposed for the site.