For the second year in a row, DPP’s Newcastle office have been awarded ‘Project of the Year’ at the Royal Town Planning Institute’s North East Planning Excellence Awards.
Following the success of the Day Treatment Centre at Freeman Hospital in 2023, DPP alongside GT3 Architects and Advance Northumberland have won Project of the Year award again, this time for the recently completed Morpeth Sports and Leisure Centre.
The Morpeth Sports and Leisure Centre stands as an excellent example of the effectiveness of collaboration, prioritising community-centered design to achieve remarkable results. Through the combined efforts of Northumberland County Council, Active Northumberland, GT3 Architects, DPP Planning, and Willmott Dixon, this facility sets a new standard for public sector buildings. It seamlessly integrates sport, leisure, and community amenities, enriching the heart of Morpeth and offering a truly inclusive space for all.
Navigating through various challenges such as COVID and economic uncertainties, the sports and leisure centre has brought the community together and addressed social, economic and environmental issues for today and many years to come.
The primary aim of the scheme was to enhance community well-being by constructing a new leisure centre, there-by involving more individuals in physical activity and active lifestyles, Morpeth Sport & Leisure Centre continues to prove its worth. In a facility review conducted 6 months after opening, Active Northumberland revealed that the new centre experienced:
- 197% increase in swim visits
- 266% increase in gym visits
- 207% increase in class visits
- 37% increase in library issues
- 165% increase in new community members
The success of the project has already been recognised in the Design Excellence Award at the Insider North East Awards earlier this year as well as the ‘Community Benefit’ award at the RICS North East Awards. As regional winner of the RTPI Award, the project now progresses to the RTPI National Awards later this year where it will compete against another DPP project, Cardiff University’s Sbarc project.
Speaking about the RTPI Award Jo Robison, Director of DPP’s Newcastle office said:
We are absolutely delighted to pick up this prestigious award for the second year running. It is fantastic that Morpeth Sports and Leisure Centre is being recognised by so many different awards. It was a complex project but is now a transformational facility both for the health and wellbeing of the residents that use it, but also as a focus for the community and a draw into the town. I am proud of the role DPP played in delivering this project and the positive change it has delivered.
Images: Advance Northumberland / GT3 / Kristin McCluskie
