There are moments when it’s a little easy to be somewhat cynical about the green movement and its retail manifestations, but the eco department in Dobbies’ new garden centre in Peterborough goes some way towards restoring flagging faith.

The 1,500 sq ft Eco-Living space sits within a store that already has large elements of sustainability about its blueprint with a timber frame, water recycling and biomass heating.

The designated green area, however, is a step on from this. Designed by Edge Architecture – the company that worked with Dobbies on its first new-look store in Aberdeen in 2010 – the space is the first large-scale eco department in the UK, according to the retailer, and functions, effectively, as a shop-in-shop. As well as ‘green’ products, the department also features a tie-in with energy firm EDF with energy solutions such as solar panels and insulation. There is also an external element where advice is provided about creating an eco garden.

In essence, this is about taking an edge-of-town shed and making it both attractive and more responsible than you would expect from a retailer in this kind of location. Also worth mentioning, although not within the eco department, is the garden centre’s exterior. With a large wooden canopy and a tall glass frontage that allows a high degree of natural daylight to penetrate the interior, this is a dramatic entrance for any retailer, let alone a garden centre, where traditionalism frequently seems to be the order of the day.

The store opened a little over a fortnight ago and was mobbed. Early indications are the eco centre is a hit too.