Cafe, shops and 'wellness centre' set to open at Lambton Estate as part of £15million redevelopment

Alongside 109 new homes being built on the estate, plans for a new retail complex and additional office space have been revealed today, Monday, October 5.

Miller Homes is creating the community of new homes at Lambton Park, and has now completed the eastern side of Bowes Gate Drive, the new entrance into the estate, which includes the show home and a newly-opened show apartment.

The redevelopment is funding restoration work on the historic estate, which has already seen the opening up of miles of seasonal access footpaths.

The next phase of the project will see the construction of a community hub next to the homes. It is hoped the Bowes Gate 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 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 to a wellness centre.

The estate has brought forward its detailed viability work on the buildings in response to an encouraging level of interest, 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: “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: “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.”

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