There is no BPT activity in the North East of England

Martin Hulse, Secretary of Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust (TWBPT), writes about the recent work of his Trust and the impact of the AHF’s ‘Cold Spots’ and Options Appraisal grants.

According to Heritage Counts 2012 (published by English Heritage on behalf of the Historic Environment Group) there were no ’active Building Preservation Trust projects’ in the North East during 2011/12. A Cold Spot if ever I saw one. So it was a great feeling to start 2013 with a mini digger, an archaeologist, a structural engineer and a pair of secateurs.
Jesmond Dene Banqueting Hall has been a controlled ruin for 30 years with a co-op of artists operating out of the Reception Rooms for 25 years. It was built by Lord Armstrong in two key phases between 1860-70 designed by Norman Shaw and John Dobson. It was then gifted to the City Council in 1883 when Armstrong moved to Cragside. Both phases are listed Grade II and are located in a designed landscape.

Sketch of Jesmond Dene Banqueting Hall as it was

Following an Options Appraisal funded by the AHF, Newcastle City Council and TWBPT, the professional team was concerned as to the lack of information on the ruined ancillary buildings; the presence of Japanese Knotweed that was holding up the bank; the ability of the Banqueting Hall to be reused; and also the possible existence of an earlier phase of development. Maps raised questions as to whether the Apple Tree Inn (an earlier building on the same site) had been reused or demolished. So the best (and the most exciting) method of resolving these concerns was to dig for the answer.

Jesmond Dene Banqueting Hall today

There is no way that this project will be on site for Heritage Counts 2013. So fortunately we have others up our sleeve. An AHF Cold Spots Grant for the ‘Old Low Lights’ in North Shields led to the Trust securing £300,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘Townscape Heritage Initiative’. It is also hoped that a recent Cold Spots Grant for the Blackfell Hauler House in Gateshead will lead to further funding and more active projects.

As you can tell I am a big supporter of the Cold Spots Initiative, as it gives me the ability to move a project from an idea and an initial discussion into real action. This also builds confidence with local authority partners that the Trust can deliver. For the Banqueting Hall, the success of the Old Low Lights led me to secure match funding from the local authority to apply for an Options Appraisal Grant and then a Post Options Grant.

Hopefully we will be on site in 2014 for the first phase of work.