Work starts on £30 million Morpeth town centre redevelopment

Work starts on £30 million Morpeth town centre redevelopment

10 July 2007

Work starts next week on the £30 million redevelopment of Morpeth town centre which will deliver a new shopping arcade, transport interchange, town centre car parks and an extension to the Morrison’s supermarket.

Local contractors Thorntons will get the work underway with the demolition of former veterinary practice The Retreat.  Beginning on 16 July, the work will be completed by 27 July.

Once The Retreat has been demolished, this will enable the highway works to be undertaken, with work simultaneously starting on the new long stay car park on Dark Lane.

Another local contractor, Lumsden and Carroll, has been appointed by the developers to undertake this work.  This will include widening Dark Lane, constructing two new roundabouts and installing a new pedestrian crossing facility to allow safe passage of pedestrians from the Lower Stanners area into the town centre.

On 20 July, work will start on the new long stay car park which will create 115 long stay car parking spaces.  This will be completed by 16 November.

The developers and contractors have programmed the highway works to be undertaken during the summer period to ensure minimum disruption to the town’s activities.

Once the highway improvement schemes have been completed and the long stay car park substantially complete, a third local contractor, Turtons, will construct the new petrol filling station on behalf of William Morrison. 

This will start on 1 October and be completed by 29 February 2008.  During construction activities, all contractor vehicles will be parked within the construction sites to keep town centre parking spaces available for visitors. 

Providing no delays are incurred, the long stay car park will be made available during the Christmas trading period within the town.

Dransfield Properties will be making an announcement shortly concerning the next stage of delivery which will see the new bus station being constructed in the town and work commencing on the main project.

During the summer period there may be minor disruption around the Back Riggs area as new gas, water and electric services are being laid to enable the main scheme to commence in early 2008.

Mark Dransfield, Managing Director of Dransfield Properties, said: “We’re keen to get on and deliver the redevelopment of Morpeth town centre and delighted we are now able to announce the start date.  We’ve worked closely with local stakeholders and have chosen the contractors carefully to ensure the programming of the works will result in minimal disruption during the construction phase.”

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk