Lambton Park Housing and Redevelopment Scheme reaches major milestone

The £15m redevelopment of privately-owned Estate Lambton Park near Chester-le-Street is opening up further to the community as, alongside 109 new homes, plans for a new retail complex and additional office space have been unveiled today.

Award-winning homebuilder Miller Homes is creating the community of new homes, known as Miller Homes at Lambton Park, which has achieved a build milestone with the completion of the eastern side of Bowes Gate Drive, the new entrance into Lambton Park.

This streetscape includes the show home and a newly-opened show apartment. There is also a selection of four and five-bedroom homes which have been sold, as well as two-bedroom apartments. The scheme takes inspiration from Victorian architecture and existing buildings on the Estate.

In addition to the housing, the next phase of the redevelopment of Lambton Estate will see the construction of a community hub adjacent to the homes, by the Estate. Known as Bowes Gate, it is hoped the complex will be a vibrant community hub connecting residents and visitors with local businesses

At its heart will be a main building offering retail space across the ground floor, envisioned as a traditional high street of around eight independent local shops. These could include businesses such as a bakery, delicatessen, butcher, grocer, estate farm shop, florist, pharmacy, convenience store and hairdresser/beauty salon.

Plans also include a standalone café/bistro, as well as space across the first and second floors of the main building, which could accommodate anything from conventional offices, serviced office space and meeting rooms to a wellness centre with a yoga/pilates studio or gym.

In response to an encouraging level of interest in retail space at Bowes Gate, the Estate has brought forward its detailed viability work on the buildings with the intention of submitting a planning application before Christmas and starting construction next year.

Andrew Somerville, sales director at Miller Homes North East, said: “Lambton Park is not only an incredibly special place in which to live, but it will be a fantastic place to work and visit. Our buyers aren’t just purchasing a home, they are joining an exciting new community and have exclusive access to beautiful walks around the Estate. In the near future they should also have a great selection of amenities right on the doorstep. We are really looking forward to seeing the Estate’s vision for Bowes Gate brought to life.”

Calum Gillhespy, a director with the Estate’s managing agents GSC Grays, said: “Bowes Gate is a key component in the redevelopment of Lambton Park. It will be home to a complementary mix of businesses whose occupation on site will make a fantastic contribution to the vibrant community which is being built here. We have been hugely encouraged by the speculative interest which potential operators have expressed in the building. In response we have pressed on with this critical component of our plans for Lambton Park.

“We have an exciting design for Bowes Gate which complements the fantastic job Miller Homes is doing on site and we hope to be inviting formal expressions of interest in the space which we have available next month.”