Road to stay shut until spring due to regeneration

Stockton Borough Council says the work will be transformational for the town centre and its prospects

A road scheduled to be closed until the end of the year as part of a town centre redevelopment will remain shut until spring, council chiefs have announced.

Stockton's Riverside Road has been closed since May to allow for works on the area's waterfront regeneration scheme, which has seen the demolition of some shopping areas to make way for a so-called urban park.

The borough council says keeping the road closed will allow contractor Esh Construction "to complete essential work in a more efficient way across the large, complex site".

The Labour-led authority said the scheme remained on track to be finished on budget, which has previously been reported as £36m.

The park will replace the Castlegate Shopping Centre and Swallow Hotel, which were torn down to make way for the project.

A 55m (180ft) land bridge structure has been created, which the council says will allow people to walk uninterrupted from the High Street to the riverside.

An amphitheatre is also being constructed, while the Millennium Footbridge will be extended.

Councillor Paul Rowling, cabinet member for resources and transport, acknowledged the extended closure of Riverside Road would cause disruption but added it was "to the benefit of everyone that the urban park is finished as soon as possible".

"This will ensure that work is completed in the spring and on budget," he said.

Stephen McClean, construction manager at Esh Construction, said the measure would enable the firm to extend the footbridge into the park and build the riverside play area and amphitheatre "without the risks associated with live traffic".

"These tasks require machinery and space, and maintaining the closure ensures a safer environment for our workforce, subcontractors and the general public," he explained.