Final stage of urban park work under way

15 hours ago

News image — The waterfront development is part of Stockton's plans to regenerate the town's high street

Esh Construction/Chapman Brown Photography An aerial picture shows the riverside construction site with Stockton town centre in the background. The new road lay out can be seen as well as the granite amphitheatre and a partially constructed bridge across the river. — The waterfront development is part of Stockton's plans to regenerate the town's high street

A multimillion-pound regeneration programme designed to improve the fortunes of a struggling town centre has reached the final stages.

Work on Stockton's waterfront scheme, on the site of an old shopping centre, began in 2024.

The new urban park links the town centre with the riverside and will have play areas and performances spaces.

Due to open at the end of spring, it's hoped it might attract more visitors to the town's declining High Street.

Esh Construction/Chapman Brown Photography A construction site with a large timber play structure in the centre. The play towers have large steel slides attached. Orange rope netting bridges can be seen as well as wooden walk ways. The picture was taken on a wet day and muddy puddles can be seen beside the construction work. — A 13-metre (42ft) play structure is part of the design

Work began on the site in December 2024 following the demolition of Castlegate Shopping Centre and the Swallow Hotel.

An amphitheatre is being installed in the park as well as a 13-metre (42ft) tall play structure.

Councillor Richard Egglington said he hoped the project, part of a £36m regeneration scheme, would "turn the High Street back into a destination centre".

Claire Church smiling behind a cafe counter which has a vintage tea party theme. She is framed by sponge cakes and biscuits with shelves full of loose leaf tea behind her. She has blonde hair tied in a high bun and wears a maroon fleece jacket over a similar coloured collared shirt. — Claire Church said she will be relieved when work on the urban park is finished

Claire Church, who runs the Remember Me Tea Room next to the construction site, said her business had seen a reduction in footfall after the decline, then demolition, of the shopping centre.

She said of the redevelopment: "I have to hope and be positive that this will make things better, the old high street model doesn't work any more.

"People stopped visiting and shops left, maybe this is a new way to improve things. We have to try new things" .

The closure of Riverside Road as part of the work has caused disruption for drivers, but it has now partially reopened with new layout expected to be compete by spring.

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