Napper Architects have worked with Northumberland Estates and garden centre operator Blue Diamond to submit a planning application for a garden centre on land east of the A1 near Alnwick.
Representing a £13 million investment from Northumberland Estates, the garden centre is anticipated to attract significant footfall, create over 150 new full and part-time jobs, and further solidify Alnwick's reputation as a prime destination for retail, leisure, food, and hospitality.
The new garden centre will be managed by Blue Diamond, one of the UK's largest garden centre chains. The facility will feature extensive indoor and outdoor plant sections, as well as areas dedicated to gardening products, leisure and homeware, and outdoor furniture.
The application was submitted following a public consultation period during which local residents were invited to provide feedback on the plans. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with over 74% of respondents welcoming the proposals.
Colin Barnes, Director of Planning and Development for Northumberland Estates, said: "Our objective is to establish the premier garden centre in the North East right here in Alnwick, and our plans reflect that ambition. We have taken into account the feedback from the public consultation, and our plans address several concerns raised, including the installation of EV chargers, rainwater harvesting systems, and solar panels."