Pair of Lambton Park sites up for grabs

With Miller Homes, Bellway and Robertson already advancing projects, the next two plots within 274 acres being set aside for development at the country estate have been made available.

Durham law firm Swinburne Maddison is working with land promoter Theakston Estate Company on facilitating the transformation of the estate, close to Chester-le-Street.

Miller Homes was the residential development partner to be awarded the first site, taking forward a 106-home ‘Victorian-style’ development, which is now nearing completion.

Bellway was the next developer to secure a site in February 2023, which is now being marketed under the name of Hedworths Green and includes Georgian-type homes of two to five bedrooms.

The third development site, Lionfields, was awarded to Robertson Homes at the end of 2023. This will see the construction of 57 four, five and six-bedroom homes in the arts and crafts style.

Now, two more sites are due to be released, once planning approval is determined – a site for 30 self-build plots on a site adjacent to the Lionfields development and a mixed-use scheme, Bowes Gate, which could feature 35,000 sq ft of commercial space and is intended to act as a community hub for the various residential developments.

Simon Robinson, commercial property partner at Swinburne Madison, has advised Theakston for 25 years and at Lambton Estate for more than a decade.

He said: “Each new site takes around nine months of legal work to reach contract completion. I am also working closely with the Trustees of Lambton Estate’s solicitors, Withers Worldwide, and GSC Grays, the managing agent acting on behalf of Lambton Estate.”

Director of Theakston, Sam Marlow, added: “At all stages of the project Simon has provided commercially clear advice and a robust contractual framework within which the development is being delivered. His work on the negotiation of the infrastructure agreements ensures the infrastructure investment we make is adopted by the statutory authority as expeditiously as possible.

“It continues to be a busy and exciting time at Lambton Park and we are delighted to see the site really beginning to take shape now. Once we get planning consent for our current submissions, we will begin work on the next development opportunities.”

Lambton Park is the ancestral seat of the Earls of Durham and the wider estate is still used for a number of events and activities. Throughout the estate, which formerly housed attractions such as a zoo, there are various heritage rental properties ,along with the Bowes Business Park in a redeveloped farm complex.