A retail development which will breathe new life into a coastal town has just been completed.

Byron Place in Seaham is an £18 million shopping complex funded by Modus Properties, and delivered in partnership with regional development agency One NorthEast and District of Easington Council. Work started on the 110,000 sq ft development last August and after 12 months on site the complex, which includes Asda, Argos, Wilkinsons, Home Bargains and Greggs, was finished on Friday 5 October.

Byron Place, the centrepiece of the Seaham Town Centre redevelopment, will be officially opened today.

Ed Rowley, Acting Director of Regeneration at One NorthEast, said: "Byron Place is the largest and most important project within the Seaham Regeneration Strategy.

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"The shopping complex will breathe new life into the town centre area, not only bringing investment and jobs, but much needed retail facilities for local people as well.

"It's exactly what the town needs and is part of an impressive portfolio of regeneration works which is changing the face of Seaham for the better."

Byron Place will also be home to Farm Foods, Peacocks, Bet Fred Bookmakers, Park Lane Cards and Select, while next to it there will be a residential development of 55 homes

It is joined to Church Street by a public piazza and will integrate a 355-space car park and six new bus stops in South Terrace.

The completion of the development comes just weeks after One NorthEast approved £2m of funding to regenerate Seaham North Dock. The money will be used to create a marina for 77 boats, and workspace for marina-related businesses. A further town centre development in St John’s Square is also gathering momentum and recently received planning consent. Work on the development is likely to start in August 2008 and is being sponsored by District of Easington Council.

(JM)