of Walker development, plans have recently been unveiled to open a new state-of-the-art primary school on a site next door to the redeveloped Lightfoot Centre, where the old Wharrier Street Primary School was. The £7.5m project merged Wharrier Street and St Anthony's Primary Schools in Autumn 2012 to create the new Central Walker Church of England Primary. Plans for the area's regeneration were approved by the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly. In August 2018 it was announced that two high-rise blocks, Titan House and Hexham House were to be demolished. The flats and neighbouring Church Walk shopping centre will be replaced by a new housing development and shops. Notable people Cheryl Cole, singer, born on 30 June 1983, lived in Walker and Heaton, attending Walker Comprehensive School, Middle Street, before she found fame with Girls Aloud. Walker is the birthplace of Eric Burdon, lead singer of The Animals, who later recorded with War at the beginning of that band's career. The Animals recorded a song called "Gonna Send You Back to Walker", a repurposed version of a song by American R&B singer Timmy Shaw, "Gonna Send You Back to Georgia (A City Slick)." Another Walkerite, the author, journalist and broadcaster Keith Topping, titled one of the chapters in his novel The Hollow Men, The St. Anthony's Chinese Takeaway Massacre. The novelist is co author on Dr Who: The Hollow Men (1998) with Martin Day. The Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi grew up in Walker, where he played for Walker Central F.C., launched in 1988 by the Wallsend-born former Newcastle United footballer Lee Clark and ex-club scout Brian Clark (no relation). Lee Clark has since gone on to become a manager at both Huddersfield Town and Birmingham City. Stan Anderson, rugby union player who made one Test match appearance for England in the 1899 Home Nations Championship. David MacBeth, an English pop music singer was born in Walker. Despite releasing a string of singles on three record labels between 1959 and 1969, MacBeth's only chart success was with his version of "Mr. Blue", which peaked at number 18 in the UK Singles Chart. MacBeth took part in the 1963 Roy Orbison/The Beatles Tour. References External links Tyne and Wear Archives Service: historical information on Walker Newcastle Council Ward Info: Walker Districts of Newcastle upon Tyne Wards of Newcastle upon Tyne