Stockton Waterfront project reaches ‘key milestone’

A Teesside regeneration project has reached a construction milestone.

Esh Construction has completed the installation of 47 concrete bridge beams as part of the “transformational” £23 million Stockton Waterfront urban park. 

Commissioned by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, the new land bridge will provide level access from the High Street to the River Tees, connecting key parts of the town centre through a landscaped public space.

The beams, produced by Shay Murtagh Precast in Ireland and chosen for their environmental performance, using concrete with a reduced carbon footprint, were lifted into place over four days using a 200-tonne crane. 

They will support a 55-metre-wide land bridge spanning the A1305 Riverside Road. 

David Player, contracts manager at Esh Construction, said: “The bridge beam installation is a key milestone in the Stockton Waterfront project and a testament to the collaborative planning and engineering expertise of all involved.

“With the beams in place, we can now move forward with casting the bridge deck and progressing the next phase of public realm works that will bring the land bridge to life.”

Steve Lowe, chief structural engineer at Shay Murtagh Precast, added: “It was great to bring our technical expertise to this project and support Esh Construction in the beam and bridge deck installations, which will enable the next construction phase of the development of the land bridge and support the urban park’s progress for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.”

Once completed, the bridge deck will be paved with granite, resin and porphyry to create a seamless transition between the High Street and the riverfront. 

Officials say the land bridge marks a significant step forward in the wider transformation of Stockton, which will include flexible green event spaces, a riverside amphitheatre and new play areas, creating “an iconic, nationally recognisable new public space”.

Councillor Richard Eglington, cabinet member for regeneration and housing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, added: “It’s very exciting to see the progress of the transformation of the Stockton Waterfront site taking place and this important milestone helps make the vision of reconnecting the High Street to the river more of a reality.

“The scale of change 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 and we are looking to build on this success to create a thriving place for our communities and businesses.”

Bowburn-headquartered Esh Construction is delivering the scheme in partnership with Ryder Architecture and Billinghurst George & Partners, after being appointed through the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO). 

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