Progress was dramatic in 2023 on the Pilgrim’s Quarter major city centre development project in Newcastle.

The developer is scheduled to hand over the shell of the building to HMRC for fit-out works in Q4 2025 and Marc Gill, HMRC senior sponsor for the North East said: “We’ve seen significant progress over the last 12 months and we can already see that it will be a hugely impressive addition to Newcastle city centre and the HMRC estate.”

HMRC announced in November 2021 that Newcastle’s Pilgrim’s Quarter, part of the Pilgrim Street development, would become a Government Hub for HM Revenue and Customs in the North East. The regional centre will provide office accommodation for approximately 9,000 HMRC staff.

The Northern Echo: The site as it is nowThe site as it is now

Chris Turnbull, principal at Avison Young, said: “We are delighted with progress on the scheme and pleased to see work in hand behind the extensive listed façade. It is also encouraging to see the next phases of steelwork erection progressing. Inspection of the interior of the early phases of the building works now confirms both the volume of space and the true scale of the project is now really apparent.”

Paul Anderson, Contracts Manager at the main contractor, Bowmer and Kirkland, said: “2023 saw an unbelievable transformation of the Pilgrim’s Quarter site. At the turn of the year, we were still constructing around the Grade II Listed Carliol House, with only one of the stair cores just peeping above the site hoarding.

 

“Fast forward 12 months and all demolition works are now complete and the highest point of the main structure now towers above the city skyline. The two main cores are at full height and great progress is being made in the ground behind Carliol House to pave the way for connecting the old structure to the new. Glazing can be seen wrapping the façade whilst M&E services are progressing at pace on the office floor plates.”

Commercial, town planning and project management services on the project are being provided by Avison Young with architectural design by Ryder Architecture and engineering input by Cundall. The contractor is Bowmer and Kirkland.