Pilgrim's Quarter Progress

Further progress was self-evident in 2024 on the Pilgrim’s Quarter major city centre development project in Newcastle, as shown on the respective photos dated December 2023 and January 2025. The developer is scheduled to hand over the shell of the building to HMRC for tenant fit out works in Q4 2025.

HMRC announced in November 2021 that Newcastle’s Pilgrim’s Quarter, part of the Pilgrim Street regeneration area, would become a Government Hub for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the North-East. Part of the Government Hub network, HMRC’s state-of-the-art regional centre will be based at the new development. The regional centre will provide office accommodation for approximately 9,000 HMRC staff. The Newcastle building will be the largest of HMRC’s 14 regional centres, at 463,000 square feet (43,000sq m) net internal area.

Chris Turnbull, principal at Avison Young who is project manager on the scheme said: “We remain delighted with progress on the project, which is on target for hand over to HMRC for their fit out in Q4 2025. Completion of the steelwork, tying in the Listed Carliol House façade has allowed the building to be fully enclosed, whilst internally good progress has been made upon the comprehensive mechanical and engineering systems.”

Paul Anderson, Contracts Manager at the main contractor, Bowmer and Kirkland, said. “It has been a fantastic 12 months for the project, particularly with the regeneration of Carliol House façade which can now be seen in all its glory. The building is becoming a landmark structure within the city and with the envelope practically complete we can now focus on the remaining floor plate fit outs and the main systems commissioning.”

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.