FINAL - JDDK Millmount News Summer Edition 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 10
Keelmen’s Hospital
refurbishment moves forward
with key milestones ahead
We are delighted to be working with the Tyne and Wear Building
Preservation Trust and Newcastle City Council to rescue and restore
the historic Keelmen’s Hospital – one of Newcastle’s most signi昀椀cant
heritage buildings at risk. Built in 1701 and granted Grade II* listed
status in 1954, the site is undergoing a comprehensive redevelopment
to bring it back into residential use, with the support of Historic England
and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Overlooking Newcastle’s Quayside since the early 18th century,
Keelmen’s Hospital originally served as an almshouse for retired and ill
Keelmen, who operated the wooden boats that transported coal along
the River Tyne. The current project aims to sensitively refurbish the
historic structure into 20 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments,
including two designed for accessibility.
The planning permission and Listed building consent application was
submitted to the local authority on 31st March 2025, marking a crucial
step in securing the necessary permissions to move forward. Meanwhile,
the project team is preparing for the next major phase – a second-stage
National Lottery Heritage Fund application in early August, which, if
successful, will secure £4.5 million to support the construction phase.
10 Millmount. Summer 2025.
Samantha Dixon, Associate and Conservation Architect at JDDK and
project lead, said: “Keelmen’s Hospital is one of the few surviving
buildings of Newcastle’s 18th century industrial past – it tells an
important part of the story of the city’s mining heritage and longstanding
commitment to social housing. Energy ef昀椀ciency, accessibility and longterm sustainability are at the heart of the design. We’re excited to be
creating a welcoming new entrance from the north, improving access
for all residents, and working towards a scheme that meets both
heritage and housing needs.”
The team has undertaken in-depth research to re昀椀ne key design
elements, including new windows and doors, and a new bridge and
entrance. Through extensive historical analysis and precedent studies,
JDDK and its collaborators, including building physics specialists and
heritage conservators, are ensuring the project minimises long-term
risks to the historic fabric while protecting the building’s heritage
signi昀椀cance and meeting contemporary standards.
