Gateshead Council is moving forward with plans to expand the iconic Gateshead Quays, a leisure and entertainment-focused development in Tyne and Wear, England.

The £200m (US$255m, €225m) expansion, which is being spearheaded by Ask Real Estate and PATRIZIA UK, will see the riverside locale gain a number of hotels, bars, and restaurants, anchored by a 12,500-seat indoor arena and 10,000sq m conference centre.

To be designed by architects HOK – who will collaborate with AHR Architects and Planit-ie – the new destination will occupy 10 acres of Gateshead's riverfront.

Speaking on the project, Cllr Martin Gannon, Gateshead Council Leader said it would be a "gamechanger for Gateshead" which would bring "new life to the area" and boost the regional economy.

John Sharkey, an executive vice president at SMG, which is helping to develop the hub, commented that the Quay's facilities would "further cement Gateshead Quays as a popular and stunning world-class cultural destination".

The project, which is expected to attract more than 1 million visitors per year, is anticipated to be completed in 2021.