HMRC’s Newcastle base tops out

Contractor Bowmer + Kirkland has reached the highest point of construction on the organisation’s 463,000 sq ft regional centre, in the Pilgrim’s Quarter development.

Representatives from HMRC, developer Reuben Brothers Newcastle, project maanger Avison Young, architect Ryder and engineer Cundall were all present at the topping-out ceremony, along with the local authority.

The office, which stands at between six and nine storeys tall wraps around a complete city block fronting Pilgrim Street, Market Street, New Bridge Street West and John Dobson Street.  It is the centrepiece of the Pilgrim’s Quarter regeneration project.

Once operational, the regional centre, which replaces a series of smaller bases, will provide office accommodation for approximately 9,000 HMRC staff and will be the largest of HMRC’s 14 regional centres.

Jim Harra, HMRC chief executive and first permanent secretary, said: “This significant milestone brings us closer to the completion of our new regional centre in the North East.

“Newcastle’s Pilgrim’s Quarter will create career opportunities within HMRC’s largest office, a high quality, modern and accessible working environment, and enable us to better meet the needs of our employees and customers.”

Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Karen Kilgour, said: “It’s so exciting to see the completion of a significant milestone in the construction of this massive development which will provide top class office accommodation for 9,000 HMRC employees.

“It’s impossible to overstate the transformational effect all these people working in the city centre will have. Shops, restaurants, bars, and attractions all stand to benefit from the boost in economic activity.

“That all this will come from a part of the city centre that for years lay abandoned and unloved makes it remarkable and shows the incredible things that can be achieved when the public and private sectors work together.”

Handover is due in late 2025.

HMRC’s Mark Gill, Newcastle City Council’s Michelle Percy & Cllr Karen Kilgour, and Roger Thornton of Reuben Brothers Newcastle at the ceremony. Credit: HMRC/Katherine Cuthbertson

Other developments in train in Pilgrim’s Quarter include the conversion of Newcastle’s former central police and fire stations into the five-star Gotham Newcastle hotel, launching in spring 2025, while Bank House has been hoovering up the city’s grade A office requirements.

Having built its reputation with a pop-up venue at the site as a “meanwhile use” while Pilgrim’s Quarter was in the planning works, leisure operator Stack is to open an F&B destination at Worswick Chambers.

Chris Turnbull, principal at Avison Young, said of the HMRC project: “We are delighted that Pilgrim’s Quarter continues to progress on programme to handover to HMRC in late 2025. Like everyone else, we are excited to see the building take shape.”

Paul Anderson, contracts manager at B+K, concluded. “This is a proud moment for the entire B+K team to celebrate such a significant milestone on this landmark project. Our focus now turns to wrapping up the façade and preparing to commission and handover a first class building for our client.”