John Dobson (architect) - Plans For Newcastle

Plans For Newcastle

In 1824, several years before Grainger did, Dobson put forward plans to the council for the purchase and development of Anderson Place in the centre of Newcastle. Dobson proposed a Mansion House as a ‘civic palace’ and grand squares linked by wide tree-lined streets. If Dobson’s scheme had been accepted it would have led to a city centre even more elegant than Grainger’s. However, Dobson’s plan was hugely expensive and he lacked financial backing. Grainger proved to have more business acumen in putting forward his own plans for Newcastle and getting them accepted.