Member Article

Contractors appointed to transform former Bellingham police station to vets

Northumberland County Council has granted planning permission for Bellingham’s former police station to be transformed into a veterinary surgery.

Orchard House Veterinary Care has appointed Howarth Litchfield (HL) to undertake the building’s redesign, a North East architectural practice with experience of both the healthcare sector and restoring older buildings.

Northumberland-based contractor Smailes Construction has been awarded the contract to deliver the project.

Founded in 1998 by Tim Pearson, Orchard House currently has surgeries in Hexham and Stocksfield and for the last five years has operated a mobile service, allowing the practice to cover more rural locations.

On the decision to move to the building Tim explained: “Having a permanent base in Bellingham will be beneficial for those clients who travel from the Borders, as it will reduce the distance they need to travel to get expert advice while also reducing the stress levels of their pets as they won’t be travelling for too long.

Tim added that the surgery will offer the latest equipment, including advanced LED operating lights and digital dental radiography, to provide the best available in veterinary care.

Neil Turner, Director of HL, said: “We are delighted to be involved with this project. Under a negotiated contract Smailes Construction has been selected as the preferred contractor and they have worked hard to establish a team ethos that matches our own and Tim’s, allowing key decisions on the scope of the project to be easily made.”

David Smailes of Smailes Construction added: “A conversion project of this type is a great example of the work Smailes Construction undertakes on a regular basis.

“Working directly with the client and the architect is, in my opinion, the best way to deliver schemes of this type and size and we are very much looking forward to commencing work soon.”

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