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Work starts on £2.3million Waterfront Park….

Work to construct a £2.3million waterfront park on the South Shields riverside is under way.

Stretching along the Tyne from the ferry landing to the Customs House, Harton Quays Park will feature beautiful trees, lush lawns and curved embankments complemented by a refreshments kiosk, promenade and amphitheatre.

The project is joint-funded by South Tyneside Council and the Homes and Communities Agency and is being constructed by Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering.

And the Mayor of South Tyneside, Councillor Eileen Leask, led a turf-cutting ceremony to get work under way.

The Mayor said: “The park is in a wonderful setting and I think it’s going to be very popular with local people and visitors alike. It will offer something new and different to people visiting South Shields town centre and also to people who work in the area.

“We’ve already got the beautiful South Marine Park at the other end of town and soon we will have this lovely public space on our riverside. I can’t wait to come back here when it is finished.”

Councillor Michael Clare, the Council’s Lead Member Regeneration and Economy, added: “The park will transform this stretch of South Shields Riverside and the start of work represents another big step forward in the regeneration of this area.

“It will enable us to offer town centre visitors a high quality shopping and leisure experience that they cannot get on the Internet or at out of town retail parks whilst acting as a catalyst for major private sector investment in the area.

“In the longer-term, the park will provide a superb setting for new cafes, restaurants and bars.”

The contract with Balfour Beatty includes a target for 25 per cent of all sub-contractor spend to be retained within South Tyneside.

It will also provide opportunities for local people to access training and work experience.

Phil Morgan, Regional Director at Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, added: “We are delighted to start on site at Harton Quays Park and to aid the development of the area for residents and visitors.”

The project has been made possible thanks to strong financial backing from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Martin Wilks, Capital Development Manager at the Agency said: “The start of this work is great news for the residents of South Shields. It brings the reality of the riverside park a step closer. It is fantastic to see the plans and ideas start to become a reality.”

The park is being developed as part of the wider regeneration masterplan for South Shields Riverside and is due for completion in Spring 2013.

ENDS

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Garry Smith .