Willowburn Retail Park in Alnwick, North East England, has been designed as a modern and sustainable retail destination, enhancing the local shopping experience while complementing North Northumberland’s natural surroundings.
Projekt Architects, the firm behind the design, envisioned a retail park that not only meets the needs of both shoppers and businesses but also prioritises longevity, environmental responsibility, and high-quality design that will serve the community for years to come.
Timber was the ideal aesthetic choice, offering warmth and authenticity to a commercial retail park, however, with many wood species it would require frequent maintenance and replacement. Accoya provided the perfect solution, delivering the natural aesthetic of wood with exceptional durability, minimal upkeep and a 50-year warranty.
Building on the success of Phase One — which welcomed key tenants such as Marks & Spencer and Turnbull Butchers — Phase Two is now complete. This stage of development features FinishLine cladding from James Latham, comprised of Accoya, machined and factory finished in a Sansin coating, and installed by Alderclad. It has delivered two new units, B&M and Mountain Warehouse, with a further Accoya-clad unit planned to complete the retail park.
Mark Jansz, Founding Director of Projekt Architects, emphasised the advantages of specifying Accoya, “Accoya opens up a whole world of possibilities for natural timber, overcoming traditional challenges related to warranties and long-term performance. Phase One was completed five years ago, and the Accoya cladding still looks as good as new. The ability to specify a timber product with confidence in its durability and stability is a game-changer.”
Justin Peckham, Regional Head of Sales at Accsys highlights the benefits of specifying Accoya for commercial projects, “As a product, Accoya is ideal for commercial projects because it delivers both long-term aesthetic appeal and structural reliability. We know that in five, ten, or fifteen years, it will have maintained its integrity without twisting, or warping, providing complete peace of mind for specifiers and developers alike.”
