Newcastle’s No2 Cathedral Square set for holiday pivot
Monument Real Estate’s plans to convert the five-storey former office building into 135 short-stay apartments are recommended for approval, with the council saying it will allow for a significant building within the city’s historic Bigg Market to be rejuvenated.
Located on the junction between the Cloth Market and the Groat Market, to the north of No1 Cathedral Square, the full works proposed include a three-storey roof extension, demolition of the three-storey block on the north side of the building, and the replacement of the external facades to make the 1970s building more in keeping with its historic surroundings.
The one-bed serviced apartments will be spread across the top seven floors, while the ground floor will be reconfigured but retain its commercial F&B units and entrance lobby.
Xsite Architecture and DPP Planning have led on the project, with the wider team including heritage consultant Spence & Dower, GIA Surveyors, landscape architect Southern Green, engineers Shed and Studio Horn, and SAJ Transport Consultants.
The building was previously approved for conversion to 35 residential apartments, which has now lapsed, and planning documents note the vacant office space on the upper floors ‘has little prospect of being brought back into use’.
Due to the building’s proximity to a lively area with bars and clubs and the night-time noise that brings, as well as the layout of the apartments being single-aspect, the application notes that it would not be suitable for long-term or permanent residents but will be acceptable for short-stay guests.
