Beavan Building

The Beavan Building department store was built in 1910 as one of the main retailers on Shields Road.

Because of its size and unusual design it has become a favourite landmark and, although not Listed, it is locally listed by Newcastle City Council as a landmark. By 2008 it had become dilapidated and the roof was leaking.

The aim was to guarantee the future of this important building by converting the upper floors, which do not suit modern retailing, to flats for Tyne Housing’s more settled tenants, thus giving the building a long term use and contributing to the reversal of the population decline.

We retained the ground floor for retail to maintain the character of Shields Road. The building has solar panels on the roof, air source heat pumps, heat recovery mechanical ventilation to all of the flats and all the existing external walls have been insulated.

The scheme achieved Code 3 for Sustainable Homes. The Scheme has won the Homes and Community Agency’s national award for Sustainable Futures; was shortlisted for the regional Renaissance Awards, in two categories: Housing and Sustainability; and was highly commended in the national Sustainable Housing Awards.