Taras Properties has received approval from Newcastle City Council for an additional 30 bedrooms in the former Police Station and Magistrates Court building, adjacent to the former Fire Station building, which received planning permission and Listed Building Consent earlier in 2021. With the granting of planning permission, Taras Properties can expedite repair works to the former police station and court buildings. The now 90-bedroom hotel will offer dining, food, and beverage services within the Grade II-listed Fire Station buildings. The former Magistrates courts will be transformed into a bar, function room in the two courtrooms, and a dining room in the former judge’s room on the second floor. The outdoor space between the two buildings will become a hard and soft landscaped area, and space in front of the building will provide room for a pavement café. Taras Properties has worked with the Bespoke Group and the Newcastle City Council on this development with the intention of operating the Gotham hotel brand from the site. The project is a part of a bigger Pilgrim Street program that extends from Bank House and Worswick Chambers in the south to the new home for HMRC in the north. Planning and Cost Consultancy advice on the scheme will be provided by Avison Young’s Newcastle office, and Architectural Design will be done by Ryder Architecture. The building, which served as the main Fire Station until 2005, was opened in 1933.
According to Matt Verlander, Planning Director at Avison Young, “This excellent scheme brings forward a high-quality hotel and dining experience, which is not currently available in Newcastle city center. The restoration of these historic and delicate buildings will enhance the Pilgrim Street environment, with the hotel being a crucial part of the larger program of development.”