Victorian park keepers' lodge could be demolished

The building has been empty since the park keepers were made redundant in 2010

A Victorian park keepers' lodge could be demolished over safety fears.

Inspectors deemed the Western Lodge in Leazes Park, Newcastle, a "dangerous structure" in 2024, but it has been in a bad state for years.

Urban Green Newcastle (UGN), the charity which has run the city's parks since 2019, said the lodge was in a "dilapidated condition" when it took over.

But having lost Newcastle City Council's funding, it said the authority was taking over control of the building at the end of February and would be the one to move forwards with plans for any demolition.

Marion Williams, chair of the Friends of Leazes Park group, said the lodge had been empty since about 2010 when the park keepers were made redundant, but it had been a "rapid decline".

She said vandals "just saw it as a place to go and destroy".

"It's been incredibly frustrating."

Safety inspectors deemed it a "dangerous structure" in 2024

A spokesperson for UGN said it had made attempts to "keep members of the public safe" by putting up fencing but there had been regular "unauthorised access" which was "putting people at risk of harm".

They said the fire service had been called out to the property "numerous times".

"Following an inspection by Newcastle City Council's Building Control Section, Western Lodge has been deemed a dangerous structure and a section 77 Dangerous Structure Notice has been issued requiring the site to be served a demolition notice, or brought back into use," they said.

Newcastle City Council is set to take back control of the city's 33 parks and more than 60 allotments after it was revealed that UGN was facing a £6.7m shortfall in funds over the next five years.

A spokesperson for the council said it was currently working with UGN to transfer assets and a "full review of the estate is under way".

Newcastle City Council said a full review of the parks is under way