Durham-based Howarth Litchfield Completes Multi-million-pound Transformation of South Tyneside’s Middlefields Depot

(L to R) South Tyneside Council’s Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Finance and Resources, Cllr Susan Sybenga with Dave Pickersgill, Technical Director of Howarth Litchfield at the Middlefields Depot.

Award-winning architect Howarth Litchfield has announced the successful completion of a major rationalisation and redevelopment project at South Tyneside Council’s Middlefields Depot.

The project, valued at approximately £5 million, has transformed the 60,000m² site into a more efficient, modern, and safer working environment.

Appointed as lead consultant through the North East Procurement Portal (NEPO) framework, Howarth Litchfield oversaw a comprehensive design team to modernise the industrial estate, which serves as a central hub for various council services and third-party contractors.

The completion of this scheme follows the firm’s successful delivery of similar regional depot redevelopments at Morrison Busty in County Durham and Parsons Depot in Washington.

The project involved a complex reorganisation of the site to improve traffic flow and operational efficiency. A key component of the masterplan was the relocation of the Highways Department to an alternative site, which vacated space to create dedicated areas for fleet parking, staff parking, an MOT area and refuse vehicle storage. Additional improvements include a new gatehouse, a bin store and clearly defined, safe pedestrian routes throughout the site.

Dave Pickersgill, Technical Director at Howarth Litchfield, said: "Middlefields has been a rewarding yet complicated project that required intense coordination and quick reactions from the entire design team.

“Working within a live, 24-hour operational site presented significant logistical challenges, which were further compounded by the discovery of numerous unknown underground obstructions during the excavation phase. Despite these obstacles, we have successfully modernised the site’s infrastructure. Our focus was on rationalising the space to address long-standing issues with site security, vehicle movement and staff facilities, ensuring the depot is fit for the future".

The team also installed several new electric vehicle (EV) charging points with infrastructure in place to accommodate additional charging capacity in the future, if required.

South Tyneside Council’s Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Finance and Resources, Cllr Susan Sybenga, added:

"We are delighted to see the completion of these essential works at our Middlefields Depot. By reorganising the site and introducing dedicated parking and better staff facilities, we have created a much-improved working environment for our frontline teams who deliver vital services every day.

“This investment has modernised the depot, improved the layout of the site and enhanced facilities for staff. It provides a more efficient and practical base for the teams and vehicles that support the delivery of key council services across the borough, including the provision of new vehicle charging facilities.”

The project was delivered alongside main contractor Halls and a specialist consultant team including Stantec (formerly Hydrock), DPP, Ecosurv, Apex, and Colour.