Member Article

Blyth building up for national Brick Award

A recently completed highly sustainable contemporary office block in Northumberland has been shortlisted in two categories in this year’s prestigious Brick Awards.

The annual Brick Awards, are the longest running, most well established and widely respected design and construction awards in the UK. The award scheme sets out to recognise excellence in design and construction using brick.

Blyth Workspace, a four-storey 30,000 sq ft office building which was designed by leading architectural practice, xsite architecture (xsite), will face stiff competition from a range of commercial properties around the UK in the ‘Best Commercial Building’ category and from other regeneration projects in the ‘Urban Regeneration’ category. Notably, it is the only project in the North East to be shortlisted.

Blyth Workspace was the first building to be constructed by Arch, the Northumberland Development Company (Arch) as part of its £20million plan for the wider regeneration of Commissioners Quay on the river estuary at Blyth. Since officially opening in March this year, 18 businesses have chosen to locate there, occupying 51% of the available space.

The project was delivered with funding from the European Regional Development Fund, North East LEP and the HCA.

Speaking about the shortlisting in such a prestigious award scheme, Arch’s chair and deputy leader of Northumberland County Council, councillor Dave Ledger said:

“This building is a flagship project for Arch, its partners and Blyth. Designed to build on key business strengths, establish contemporary facilities and support enterprise as well as play its part in attracting much needed job creation, it is proving to be a popular location for businesses of varying sizes. Everyone involved in the scheme is absolutely delighted and feels very proud that the building has received this recognition. “

Further to its involvement as masterplanner for Commissioners Quay, xsite has also worked on behalf of Arch designing a new £4.5m 40-bedroom inn, soon to be constructed on an adjacent site and is currently working on other elements of the plan. Leisure specialists The Inn Collection Group will operate the inn.

Xsite’s partner, Tim Bailey commented:

“Blyth Workspace is the product of innovative design and a desire to create an incredibly sustainable building that would not only inject life into a derelict river front site but would also attract businesses of varying sizes.

“The design team involved in the scheme is thrilled that not only has it been shortlisted in two categories, it is also the only North East scheme to be in the running for such highly sought after accolades. Finger crossed we win one or both categories.”

The Brick Awards are due to take place at the Hilton Hotel, London in November.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Leigh Chelton .