Principal Contractor role confirmed at Wynyard Business Park

Hebburn-based, Castle, has been appointed principal contractor to a new retail and trade park in the Tees Valley.

Northumberland Estates, the development and investment company, has obtained planning permission for 52,000 sq ft of retail space and a 45,000 sq ft trade park within Wynyard Business Park in Stockton-on-Tees.

The retail park is set to attract key retailers such as Starbucks and will be anchored by a 46,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s superstore. The trade park will feature seven new units, which will be occupied by a range of businesses, including Howdens, Screwfix and Doves.

Wynyard Business Park currently forms a high, landscaped, mixed-use, commercial development. One of the most prestigious business locations in the Tees Valley, it has been key in attracting new companies to the area and is currently home to over 60 businesses, employing approximately 5,000 people. The Sainsbury’s store alone is expected to create 124 jobs.

The ambitious development supports Tees Valley’s Strategic Economic Plan and the Local Industrial Strategy to deliver economic growth and job creation in the area. The first phase of development is expected to start in May 2024, with the site being fully operational by June 2025.

With its headquarters in Hebburn, South Tyneside and offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Teesside Castle, which has a secured turnover of £65 million for 2024, is one of the UK’s leading providers of all disciplines of construction, offering a wide range of high-quality engineering and contracting services covering all aspects of design, construction, mechanical, public health, renewable and electrical engineering.

Andrew Dawson, managing director at Castle, said: “After a successful tender process, we have been appointed as principal contractor to deliver the facilities at the new retail and trade park.

“The project will see our teams involved in everything from the initial enabling works, statutory services, earthworks, groundworks, frame and envelope through to partial MEP services and external services including associated roads and car parks.”

Craig Muldoon, divisional director, Build, at Castle, said: “Sustainability will feature heavily throughout the works. There will be significant renewable energy measures including EV charging points and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) which will store energy from solar panels and release it when demand requires. We will also be working to a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) Very Good standard, to specify and measure the sustainability performance of the buildings.”

Peter Dalby, development manager at Northumberland Estates, said: We are delighted to have obtained planning permission for the first phase of the Wynyard Retail and Trade Park. This is a key development for Northumberland Estates which will deliver consumer choice and economic growth in the region. As we move into the construction phase, we are looking forward to working with Castle to deliver the project to a high specification.”