Successor to loathed building starts soon

Feb 16 2008 by Graeme King, The Journal

THIS is the building chosen to replace the loathed 1970s edifice of Westgate House in Newcastle city centre.

After several false starts over many years, developer Centreland has had its plans for the prominent site approved by Newcastle City Council and work is now set to begin on construction.

The £30m “44 Westgate” building will provide 65,000sq ft of office space over five floors (equivalent to a full size football pitch) along with shops or restaurants on the ground floor.

The building has been designed by London architects’ firm Careyjones, which describes the sandstone-fronted building as “respectful of its location”. Once Westgate House’s former neighbour Norwich Union House has been demolished, work will start on the construction of 44 Westgate.

The old 12-storey block of Westgate House straddled Westgate Road in Newcastle city centre for 30 years but was never popular. It was regularly voted among the region’s most hated buildings.

The site is surrounded by eight listed buildings and stands in one of Newcastle’s 11 conservation areas, making the former structure’s uncompromising presence all the harder to bear.

Joint workshops have been held by Careyjones, English Heritage and Newcastle City Council to work on the new building’s design. Mike Harris, a director of Careyjones, said: “Replacing the former Westgate House, 44 Westgate will undoubtedly enhance the urban landscape of this area of central Newcastle.

“The building’s natural sandstone frontage will sit comfortably in its surroundings, contributing to the rich diversity of architecture in the area.”

The 44 Westgate project is being marketed by sole agent King Sturge with the office space expected to prove very popular, given its proximity to Newcastle Central Station. The nearby Zurich building in Fenkle Street, with 51,000sq ft of space, was sold last summer for £12.75m, though the property market has since fallen back.

A spokesman for Centreland Group said: “We are delighted the proposals for 44 Westgate have been approved. Careyjones has put together an innovative design of the highest quality that takes into account the sensitive nature of the site and the surrounding environment.

“We are confident the scheme will make a major contribution to the regeneration of this important area of Newcastle.”