A multimillion-pound project to create a new regional head office for the HMRC has reached a milestone with a steel beam signing ceremony.
HMRC announced in November 2021 that Newcastle’s Pilgrim’s Quarter – part of the wider Pilgrim Street regeneration development – would become a Government Hub for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the North East. The regional centre will provide office accommodation for around 9,000 HMRC staff and will be the largest of HMRC’s 14 regional centres.
Now, a year after the ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction, the steel structure of the huge building, which will have 463,000 sqft of office space, is rapidly nearing completion, triggering a special steel beam signing ceremony with all the companies involved, as well as the future tenants.
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The ceremony was attended by representatives from HMRC, Newcastle City Council, developer Reuben Brothers (Newcastle) Limited, Bowmer and Kirkland and the project development team.
Following a presentation of the scheme to senior HMRC stakeholders, Marc Gill of HMRC and members of staff signed the steel beam, which will form part of the structure.
Marc Gill, HMRC’s senior sponsor for the North East, said: “It’s great to see the progress being made and today marks a significant milestone in our journey to our new HMRC Regional Centre. Once complete, Pilgrim’s Quarter will provide a great place to work - modern, welcoming and inclusive, a first-class, modern, digitally enabled workspace for HMRC’s largest office – right here in Newcastle.
“HMRC is extremely proud of its history in the North East and we look forward to enabling HMRC to continue to provide thousands of high quality rewarding Government careers in an iconic location in the heart of Newcastle city centre.”
Chris Turnbull, the project manager on the scheme from Avison Young, said: “Considerable progress is now self-evident on site with steelwork erection proceeding at pace, following upon extensive demolition and site development works, The contractor, Bowmer and Kirkland has maintained the build programme whilst dealing with the diversion of a major sewer, extensive façade retention works on the listed Carliol House as well as piling works, adjacent to the Metro line tunnels.”
Roger Thornton, head of property at Motcomb Estates Ltd, said on behalf of Reuben Brothers (Newcastle) Ltd: “The scale of the project is now apparent to all on site as steelwork is progressed on the northern and eastern sections of the site, which will in turn link into the retained Carliol House elevations along Market Street. I am in no doubt that bringing 9,000 HMRC employees to Pilgrim’s Quarter will have a massive positive effect on the local economy, whilst increasing the footfall, viability and vitality of Newcastle city centre.”
Commercial, town planning and project management services are being provided by Avison Young, architectural design is by Ryder Architecture and Cundall has led engineering. The main contractor is Bowmer and Kirkland. The building is expected to be completed and handed over to HMRC in the last quarter of 2025.
