The Merchant Park development in Newton Aycliffe has celebrated a major milestone, with phase one reaching its topping-out stage.

Located on a 17-acre site at Aycliffe Business Park, the first phase will deliver 52,500 sq ft of new commercial space and is expected to create nearly 200 jobs when completed later this year.

Phases two and three are already in the pipeline, bringing the total planned space to 268,000 sq ft and over 1,000 jobs once the full development is complete.

Adrian Goodall of Merchant Park Developments praised contractors Hall Construction for their progress on site, noting the importance of reaching this stage in supporting growing businesses across the North East.

The project is backed by FW Capital and the North East Combined Authority through the Commercial Property Investment Fund (CPIF), which is set to deliver £120 million in property investment and job creation over the next 15 years.

Chris Dixon of FW Capital highlighted how CPIF investment is helping meet demand for high-quality commercial space, supporting regeneration and economic growth in the region.

A true team effort from all involved, with excellent contributions from Andrew Steadman and Elliott Renforth helping to drive the project forward.