The Boiler Shop dates back to the 1860s and formed an “integral part” of the Stephenson Co locomotive works.

It hosts the monthly Boiler Shop Steamer event which attracts about 3,000 guests and brings together street food vendors from across the UK.

The application seeks to formalise the building’s use primarily as an event space, which has successfully been undertaken in the building over the last five years. The associated works then seek to optimise the facilities available to ensure that a full range of events “can comfortably be accommodated”.

The proposal is to renovate both the interior and exterior. The property houses profiled metal office pods dating from the mid-2000s. However, it is proposed that these be removed, leaving a clear, open, flexible space maximised for events.

In their place would be a new set of pods installed below the mezzanine, which would act as a service block providing toilets, kitchen, storage and bar facilities to support events.

A new stair is to be introduced into the main space providing access and additional means of escape from the mezzanine area. This would be in the form of a helical staircase.

A new floor would be laid, while structural strengthening works would also be carried out on the timber structure of the mezzanine floor, while the roof structure is to be inspected, cleaned and repaired if necessary.

The “limited” external works proposed are focused on the area immediately outside the Sussex Street elevation of the Boiler Shop, including installing a series of free standing steel posts along the perimeter of the external area, incorporating lighting and providing fixing to removable fabric tensioned sails which would act as cover for event guests using the external space.

A design and access statement submitted by Clouston Group and drawn up by Xsite Architecture said the proposals seek to “limit impact” to the listed building fabric and “take a sympathetic but explicitly contemporary approach to the introduction of new building elements”.

“The proposed works will provide a secure future for the building and, through the hosting of public events and the inclusion of interpretation material within the design, the story and significance of the building and its heritage will be brought to a wider audience,” it added.

“The aim is for the unique space, both in terms of its physical quality and its heritage, to compliment the new hotel and form a key part of the overall Stephenson Quarter offer.

“On balance we believe that the proposed works and the change of use will not have a negative impact on the listed building; they will secure its future and have a wider positive economic and cultural effect as part of The Stephenson Quarter development.”

The property is one of a cluster of listed buildings centred on South Street to the east of the Stephenson Quarter masterplan earmarked to be refurbished as part of the overall development.

Phase one of the wider scheme is currently nearing completion and comprises the 250-bed Crowne Plaza Hotel, a 360-space multi storey car park and 35,000 sq ft of office accommodation.

The building formed part of the sprawling Stephenson Co locomotive works until 1900 when the Newcastle site was taken over by Hawthorn Leslie. The final locomotive was built at South Street in 1904 and the Boiler Shop was taken over by George and Jobling who used it to build bicycles and then Model T Fords.

By the late 1960s manufacturing had ceased on the site and the building was occupied by Northumbria Motors until 1972. The building then fell into disrepair and The Robert Stephenson Trust was formed specifically to save it in 1988, before it was grade II-listed two years later.