One of Newcastle’s most prominent buildings is finally set for a massive redevelopment that will see dangerous cladding removed and the tower converted into flats.
Cale Cross House, next to the Tyne Bridge, is set to be transformed into 241 apartments under plans from Manchester-based developer Beech Holdings.
The project to regenerate the disused 18-storey office block was first revealed earlier this year, when the company bought the building for £5.35m, and has now been approved by Newcastle City Council.
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The 1970s-built site is one of the tallest and most recognisable buildings in the city, being one of the first things people see when crossing the Tyne Bridge.
It’s £18m facelift will involve stripping Cale Cross House of its aluminium cladding, which does not comply with post-Grenfell fire safety rules for residential homes.
A form of aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding was identified as the primary cause of the rapid spread of the Grenfell Tower fire in London, which killed 72 people in 2017.
Once the unsafe cladding is removed and replaced, the block’s interior will then be overhauled to create 250 studio and one-bed apartments.
Beech Holdings’ low-carbon plans, which were given the green light by city council planners this week, are the latest in a series of ideas to redevelop Cale Cross House.
A couple of previous designs dating back to 2019 would have seen it converted into around 130 apartments.
When its purchase of the office block was announced earlier this year, the North West company said that future residents could expect to enjoy a string of amenities in the redeveloped tower – including a gym, a coffee lounge, a yoga studio, and a cinema lounge.
Stephen Beech, CEO and founder of Beech Holdings, said at the time: “This area of Newcastle city centre has been somewhat overlooked in recent years, but this is where we excel, transforming unloved properties into modern, beautiful homes for residents.
“We want to invigorate and revive Newcastle’s community and business ecosystem in the area, and that comes with an injection of people. We will offer a super-premium, but an affordable choice of co-living in the city centre.”
