Newcastle Civil, Family and Tribunals Centre officially opens its doors
A new, modern home for civil, family and tribunal hearings in Newcastle has officially opened today (14 July 2021), providing an accessible, single space for this work in the city.
Based in Newcastle Civic Centre, the modern space provides 25 courtrooms for civil, family and tribunal hearings. It replaces a number of buildings, some not fit for purpose, that previously heard this work.
Set across three floors, all the courtrooms are set up for remote hearings. The building will deal with civil and family work as well as immigration and asylum, employment and social security and child support tribunals.
Construction began in 2018, with work moving over from other courts in the city in 2020. Newcastle City Council carried out the construction work on behalf of HMCTS, with Sir Robert McAlpine appointed to deliver the project.
The centre started holding hearings to maintain justice during the pandemic and officially opened its doors today, in a ceremony attended by the Lord Chief Justice, and the Lord Chancellor.
Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland QC MP, said:
The creation of a Centre fit for purpose to replace the ageing buildings at Newcastle has been a gargantuan effort all round – from the planning phase back in 2015 right through to the phased integration of the courts at the beginning of last year.
I want to thank everyone at HMCTS who had a hand in this and the reform project more widely; as well as Newcastle City Council for the part they played; and the various groups locally who have made sure that the new Centre is truly able to serve the needs of the local community.
Kevin Sadler, CEO of HMCTS, said:
By consolidating civil, family and tribunal hearings into a single, contemporary setting, Newcastle Civil and Family Court and Tribunals centre replaces a number of ageing buildings on our estate with a single, economically sustainable, and accessible space.
The new centre provides a modern, fit for purpose court space for the people of Newcastle. I am delighted that it is now officially open, bringing civil, family and tribunal work into one place in the city, and making it easier for people to access justice.
I would like to thank HMCTS staff, members of the judiciary, Newcastle City Council, and our partners who have worked together to deliver this project. It has been a truly collaborative endeavour.
Leader of Newcastle City Council, Cllr Nick Forbes, said:
Newcastle Civic Centre was a statement of confidence in the city when it was opened in 1968.
Some councils have sold their offices and moved to new offices, but we decided to recommit to this magnificent building to create a public sector hub that would create jobs and strengthen the local economy.
By working with the Government’s Property Agency, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and Sir Robert McAlpine we have put the word civic back into the Civic Centre and generated an income to support public services. It is once again a statement of confidence in our city and on a sustainable footing for another fifty years.
More than 130 members of HMCTS staff and judiciary will work at the building, and all civil, family and tribunal work in the city will now primarily take place at the new centre.
The opening of the centre is the first part of a wider plan for the courts in Newcastle, which has also seen conversion of the existing Newcastle Combined Court into a combined Crown Court and Magistrates’ Court.