Work on the £1.3 million scheme in Newbiggin gets underway 

As part of the ongoing regeneration planned for the seaside town and to add much needed retail space and new homes, Arch will develop a 9,380 sqft three-storey building on the former site of the Railway Inn and The New Dolphin pubs which have since been demolished.

Comprising three 1,500 sqft retail units at ground floor level, on the upper floors, eight, two-bedroom apartments available for rent by Arch Homes will be created. Also, to support Newbiggin’s growth in visitor numbers as the town enjoys something of a renaissance, modern and accessible public conveniences have also been incorporated in the scheme.

Councillor Dave Ledger, Chairman of Arch, said: “This latest mixed-use scheme is really positive for the town of Newbiggin. The creation of the apartments by Arch Homes, new public amenities and the commercial premises in the town will help regenerate the seaside town, boosting the local economy and supporting the tourism industry. We look forward to the project completion this summer and the benefits it will bring to Newbiggin.”

County Councillor for Newbiggin Central and East, Liz Simpson added: “I am very pleased to see the work on the new development has commenced, which will be a very positive step forward for the town. It will help with regeneration of the town centre, providing a new building with both public facilities and high quality accommodation for rent”.

Surgo’s  construction director Jeff Charlton was on hand to support the first spade in the ground to mark commencement of construction.  Speaking about the contractor’s involvement, Mr Charlton said:

“Towards the end of another busy year we were delighted to hear the news that we had been awarded this latest contract and presented with an opportunity to work on Arch’s behalf, as it continues to deliver interesting and much needed new developments throughout the county.

“Living locally as I do, it is refreshing to see such development and investment taking place in Newbiggin.  From the outset we have and will continue to work very closely not only with Arch and its stakeholders but also local residents and businesses, to ensure that our presence on site is as unintrusive as possible and causes minimum disruption.

“Given our experience of mixed-use developments of this scale, I am confident that the build schedule will progress smoothly and look forward to delivering a high-quality scheme to meet the client’s needs and that of the area.”

Once the construction is complete the Town Council, which has been supportive of the development, will have a high street presence thereby creating a hub for local residents.