HOWARTH Litchfield, an award-winning architectural and interior design studio, is celebrating its 40th year in business with a new office location.

Previously based in Old Elvet in Durham City Centre, Howarth Litchfield has recently invested in a two-storey premises at Belmont Business Park, as it continues to see demand for its wide range of architectural and interior design services grow.

The purchase has been prompted by its ongoing success, winning work both locally and across the wider UK. This includes recently securing a place on five framework agreements, gaining planning consent for the significant refurbishment of Newcastle’s listed Neville Hall and seeing the finishing touches put to the National Centre for Healthcare Photonics, the latest innovative building on NETPark.

Coupled with the need to accommodate its growing team, the directors also wanted a building which lent itself to creating a modern and contemporary studio to better reflect the buildings and interior spaces it creates on behalf of clients.

When considering its new location, Howarth Litchfield was fully committed to staying in Durham because of its excellent connectivity and the level of amenities close to the new office, so Belmont Business Park was an obvious choice.

Managing director, Jonathan Yates said: “Howarth Lichfield’s roots are firmly in Durham so when the opportunity came to purchase a building that would give us a blank canvass, more space and plenty of parking, we jumped at the chance.

“A lot of thought has gone into rethinking the internal layout of the building to create a relaxed and stylish studio space where our talented team of designers can work in an open plan setting and more easily share their creativity and innovative designs for buildings, and imaginative interiors for both commercial and private clients.

“Moving out of the older, cellular offices has reinvigorated everyone in the team with extra space and increased flexibility. It is just what we needed to take the business to the next level.

"In our former premises in Old Elvet we may have been perceived as smaller than we are. Now we can showcase our size, quality and capability and continue with our future growth . Since moving in, we’ve received great feedback from social media, staff and clients alike.”

He added: “We have an enviable reputation and wide-ranging expertise working across a diverse sector base including education, healthcare, hotels and leisure and commercial buildings as well as heritage and conservation. Because of the location of the new office I am confident that we will continue to attract talented architects, architectural technicians, interiors designers and admin staff of the highest calibre.”

Howarth Lichfield currently employs 26 staff at its Durham base.

Nicola Tiffen, partner in the commercial property team at Hay & Kilner Law Firm in Newcastle, provided the architect with legal advice associated with the move.