Former offices may be flattened

GATESHEAD Council bosses have been recommended to approve a £1.3m scheme to demolish empty offices in Saltwell.

Gateshead cabinet will meet next week to potentially get the ball rolling on the demolition of former council offices on Prince Consort Road. The building, adjacent to Gateshead Central Library, has been dubbed “incapable of re-use” and “at the end of its economic life”.

According to council documents, there is no longer any money specifically earmarked for the building and the future costs will have to come out of the ‘Surplus Property’ budget.

The Prince Consort Road offices have been unoccupied for a number of years and attempts to find a new use for the space have fallen through. According to a council report, demolition would make the site more suitable for future development.

In January 2013, the local authority had initially agreed to let the building to Gateshead Health NHS Trust pending an NHS green light. However, by 2019 the Trust informed Gateshead Council it would not continue the lease.

A charity group has approached Gateshead Council to make the vacant offices into an ‘Asset of Community Value’, meaning they could have bid to take over the building. However, the council deemed the building did not meet the criteria.

Council officers estimate that the demolition works would cost around £1,316,000. This includes almost £220,000 for an alternative power supply for Gateshead Library and Gateshead Leisure Centre to the existing electricity substation inside the former offices.

Gateshead cabinet will meet next Tuesday at 10am to consider the proposals.

The former council building on St Alban’s Terrace in Gateshead