Joanna Lumley Opens Morpeth Town Development
12 Nov 2009
WCEC Architects prestigious £32 million Sanderson Arcade development in Morpeth was opened today by actress Joanna Lumley OBE. WCEC have created an Edwardian style arcade paying great attention to detail to create a unique shopping environment.
The design features a variety of traditional elements and materials to produce a sophisticated and stylish arcade which will appeal to local shoppers. This thoughtful design together with a high quality public realm has put a sympathetic and coherent heart back into Morpeth town centre.
The development will push the town up the ranking as a North East shopping destination and has attracted prominent high street retailers into Morpeth including a Marks and Spencers department store, Body Shop, Lakeland, New Look, Waterstones, Laura Ashley, Fat Face and Crew Clothing. In total the project has delivered over 90,000 sq ft of retail space together with first floor offices.
Sanderson Arcade has been built by Morpeth II – the development partnership of Dransfield Properties and Ethel Austin Properties. Regional contractor Mansell’s have been responsible for turning the carefully detailed plans into reality.
Gavin Ward, partner at WCEC Architects, said: “It is fantastic to see Sanderson’s Arcade completed, we invested a great deal of effort to ensure that the development had a traditional character yet used the latest materials and technology to provide a quality retail heart for Morpeth. The end result is truly inspiring and will confirm Morpeth’s pedigree as a shopping destination It has been a delight to work for a client with such foresight and enthusiasm for design. “