Landmark reached in Pilgrim’s Quarter scheme

Builders have reached a milestone on a city centre development.

A ‘topping out’ ceremony has taken place on the Pilgrim’s Quarter scheme, in Newcastle.

The event was attended by staff from HM Revenue & Customs, Newcastle City Council and the project development team, with bosses celebrating the “significant milestone” in the building’s completion and hailing its “transformational” promise across regeneration and economic activity.

Councillor Karen Kilgour, leader of Newcastle City Council, said: “It’s so exciting to see the completion of a significant milestone in the construction of this massive development.

“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.

“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.”

The new HM Revenue & Customs regional centre, covering 463,000sq ft, will house approximately 9000 staff, making it the largest of the department's 14 regional centres.

The building stands at between six and nine storeys, and wraps around a complete block of property fronting Pilgrim Street, Market Street, New Bridge Street West and John Dobson Street.

Commercial, town planning and project management services have been provided by Avison Young, with architectural design by Ryder Architecture and engineering input by Cundall. Bowmer and Kirkland is the project's contractor.

Chris Turnbull, principal at Avison Young, added: “We are delighted Pilgrim’s Quarter continues to progress on programme to handover in late 2025.”

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