Milestone in Stockton Waterfront transformation

The “transformative” Stockton Waterfront urban park project has marked one year on-site, with Esh Construction unveiling new updates on its progress. 

The scheme, part of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s 25-year regeneration blueprint, aims to connect the town’s High Street with the River Tees through an expansive urban park featuring unique play areas, flexible spaces and a land bridge.

Councillor Nigel Cooke, cabinet member for regeneration and housing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: “It’s been so exciting to see the physical transformation of the urban park’s construction site over the last year.

“This is an important project which will breathe new life into Stockton High Street, but the scale of change here will also be felt across the entire borough.

“Stockton Waterfront is set to be the catalyst for further regeneration work across Central Stockton and North Thornaby. 

“We are looking to build on this success to create vibrant places fit for future generations, mixed-use neighbourhoods and a stronger town centre with increased footfall through a blueprint for the next 25 years.”

To date, Esh Construction has delivered over 683 weeks of full-time employment for local residents and 88 hours of volunteering in the town. The project has logged more than 65,500 hours on site, including a significant civil engineering effort to excavate 16,000m³ of earth and install 320 rigid inclusion piles.

The land bridge, a centrepiece of the design, will link the High Street and Riverside area, boosting local business opportunities and encouraging the growth of cafes, shops and restaurants. 

Work on the Riverside area began in October, with garden spaces and footways leading to an amphitheatre taking shape.

Sustainability has also been a key focus, with 14,608 tonnes of clay having been reused on-site so far, saving 104 tCO2e emissions, while more than 7,000 tonnes of waste have been diverted from landfill.

Steven Garrigan, divisional director at Esh Construction, added: “After over a year of collaboration with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, we are proud to be delivering a development that will serve as an iconic and transformative addition to Stockton Town Centre. 

“This project reflects our commitment as a local contractor to create a lasting value for the communities we serve. 

“Through the last 12 months our project team has made great strides in developing this site. 

“Our social value team has been working in the local community through a range of volunteering and donation initiatives, while directly engaging students in multiple employability and careers-led workshops.

“Stockton is undergoing an extraordinary transformation, and we are proud to be contributing to this journey alongside Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.”

Looking ahead to 2025, the park’s Finkle Square and Oval Lawn will start to emerge, offering flexible event spaces, play areas, water features, and an amphitheatre with terraced seating and a central riverside stage.

Procured via North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO), Esh is working in partnership with Ryder Architecture and Billinghurst George & Partners to deliver the project.

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