Provenance Property has recently finished its £3.5 million refurbishment on Eskdale Terrace Road in Jesmond.

The former century-old Jesmond Synagogue has now been redeveloped into 10 one and two-bedroom flats, called ‘Byzantine House’.. Alongside the development, Newcastle City Council’s planning committee also permitted 10 parking spaces for potential residents.

Martin, a follower of Judaism who did not provide his surname, lives next to the newly constructed houses. He is happy that the building is being reutilized – and that the traditional facade was maintained.

“It was just a vacant space, so it is nice that [the facade] has been kept as it is so that it can be remembered as it was,” he said.

Built in 1914, the building operated as a synagogue until 1986. More recently, the Victorian building was used by Central High School for Girls.

Previous attempts by campaigners to protect its interior failed and earlier in July this year, Newcastle’s Lord Mayor unveiled a plaque at the property.

However, as the synagogue is locally listed, the council took its special local architectural and historic interest into account and ordered that the exterior of the red-bricked structure remain untouched. The building owners must maintain its outer facade – especially the ornate stain glass window with a Star of David in its original condition.

In a public statement, the Lord Mayor Cllr David Cook said: “There’s an enormous danger when historic buildings change their use that their heritage is lost but this fantastic building has been retained and I’m delighted we still have it here in Jesmond.”

David Young, another Jesmond resident, believes that the fact that the building being used is definitely a good thing, but added a note of caution. “The other argument is also that – does Jesmond need any more brand new flats?”

Not everyone is happy about the pace of real estate developments in Jesmond. One resident who lives across the road from the development described Eskdale Terrace as a “one-way nightmare” because of recent developments. 

“The street has been a nightmare for the last couple of years,” the resident, who asked not to be named, said. “We have a school here, there is student accommodation, and the building down the street has been under construction as well. So another building like the Byzantine House only contributes to the street’s ongoing issues.”