DWF, the global provider of integrated legal and business services, has advised Newcastle City Council on the landmark restoration of Keelmen's Hospital, a Grade II* listed building in the heart of Newcastle, which is set to be transformed into 20 affordable homes following planning approval and a major funding boost.
The project represents a significant milestone in the preservation and reimagining of one of the city’s most iconic buildings.
The 324-year-old Keelmen’s Hospital, located on City Road and overlooking the River Tyne, was built in 1701 to house sick and elderly keelmen – the river workers who played a key role in Newcastle’s industrial past. The building has been vacant for many years but will now benefit from a comprehensive restoration supported by grant funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and investment from Newcastle City Council. The Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust have unlocked this restoration project, with the plans to convert the building into 20 flats and securing significant grant funding.
Partner and Joint head of DWF's regeneration development and infrastructure team, Lee Pickett and associate, Andrew Foster advised Newcastle City Council on all legal aspects of the transaction, including funding, partnership structuring and heritage considerations. DWF worked collaboratively with Joe Haigh of Keystone Law to agree the legal documentation and put TWBPT and the Council in a position to move forward with the works,
Commenting, Lee Pickett, said: "We are delighted to support Newcastle City Council on this transformative and collaborative scheme. The Keelmen’s Hospital is a cherished part of the city’s heritage, and this project demonstrates how historic buildings can be brought back to life to serve local communities whilst providing much needed additional housing for Newcastle residents.”
Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Karen Kilgour, said: “The Keelmen’s Hospital is one of Newcastle’s most historic buildings which has stood empty for far too long.
“The project to convert it into 20 flats is incredibly imaginative and exciting. It requires working with a wide range of partners who all have critically important parts to play in a project as complex as this, but once it’s complete it will be a great to see it back in use.
“I’d like to thank all those who have managed to get the project this far. I look forward to its completion and the first tenants moving in.”
