Tyneview Retail Park

With national retail and leisure brands taking up space, the mixed-use retail park in one of Northumberland's largest towns is set to deliver on its aims to increase local spend and create around 200 new jobs.

Robertson has a strong relationship with Northumberland Estates having helped them successfully deliver several developments in the North East over the past decade. Our work on Tyneview Retail Park started in preconstruction, providing cost modelling options to finalise the project proposal for planning.

Mid-way through the project, the first national lockdown was announced. By implementing stringent Covid-19 Safe Operating Procedures, the site was closed for one week only. The project was delivered on time and on budget, with one of the units – B&M – handed over early at our customer's request.

Key facts

• 7,000 m² development with units ranging from 139 m2 to 2,043 m².
• 435 parking spaces, and EV charging points.
• Tenants include Aldi, a B&M Homestore and McDonalds.
• 6 retail steel frame properties on three blocks of units.
• 15,500 m³ of material cut and filled.

Managing logistical challenges

The mass of materials generated during excavation works provided a significant logistical challenge – as a contaminated brownfield site, it had to be retained on site as fill. While it took us almost the entire project to achieve, through meticulous engineering calculations and planning every square metre was reused.

Old mineworkings presented a further complication – grouting to fill voids overran by five months due to additional works, causing logistical and sequencing problems. The focal point was right in the middle of one of the larger stores on the scheme, and one of the first scheduled to be handed over. To mitigate programme losses, we erected steel for one half of the building and continued to grout the other. Exemplary project management ensured clear segregation and continuation of best in class Health & Safety practices.

Community focus

While community engagement opportunities were cut short by lockdown, the project team did some great work with local schools before and during Covid-19 restrictions to highlight careers in the industry, including workshops and building a viewing platform at the site so school visits could take place at a safe distance.