St Astier wins deal for Princes Wharf revamp

Oct 2 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

CONSTRUCTION consultancy St Astier has won a prestigious repair contract that will see it refurbish the historic Princes Wharf Buildings, directly below the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle.

The Newcastle firm says it beat off stiff competition to land the £250,000 contract, which involves essential structural repair to the facades of the four and five-storey buildings.

Built in the 1860s, Princes Wharf occupies a prominent three sided position surrounding a central courtyard on Queen Street, Akenside Hill and King Street.

The buildings, which comprise a mix of residential, commercial and office accommodation, were originally constructed of sandstone external walls with classical detailing of deep cornices, friezes, columns and pilasters, typical of the period.

Such detailing will require the team at St Astier to use a number of specialist materials, including repointing using specialist lime-based mortar compounds during the 24-week programme.

They will also install new lead cappings as “future-proof” preventative maintenance and complete the redecoration of external joinery.

The firm’s masons will also repair and rebuild stone ballustrading which has become unstable.

Princes Wharf is the latest in a string of notable conservation and renovation contracts undertaken by St Astier since it was established in 2003 by husband and wife team Ranson and Carol Og.

The company, which is due to complete Princes Wharf in February 2010, now employs around 40 staff and has worked on several landmark buildings in the North East including Newcastle’s Castle Keep, Tynemouth Priory and soon to be completed, Spanish City Dome project in Whitley Bay.

Overseeing the project is Simon Nesti of construction consultants RNJ Partnership, which awarded the contract to St Astier on behalf of the buildings’ owners Home Group of Durham.

He said: “This is an important building in Newcastle’s architectural heritage. The city council granted listed building consent for the work and when it’s completed, it will help preserve the character of one of the city’s original commercial centres.”