The struggling town’s huge £36m high street transformation project | UK | News
A major development project is being planned to save a struggling town in England. The project, costing £36 million, will see the creation of new community and event spaces in a bid to attract more people to the town’s declining high street.
Stockton-on-Tees in Durham has faced a decline in footfall and shop closures in recent years. However, the renovation project, which started in 2024 and is in its final stages, is expected to transform the region into a destination that attracts more visitors.
As reported by BBCMajor development on the waterfront centers around creating a large city park connecting the high street to the River Tees. It includes the demolition of the old Castlegate Shopping Center and Swallow Hotel.
The city park will be three times the size of Trafalgar Square. It will include a large oval for events, three playing fields and several heritage features.
A large, terraced amphitheater with a curved seating area and a central stage area is being installed in the park. Meanwhile, the town’s main shopping area will be in Wellington Square and at the northern end of the main street.
Councilor Richard Egglington said he hoped the project would “transform High Street back into a destination centre”. However, the closure of Castlegate Shopping Center for parking development has caused disruption to local businesses, while the closure of Riverside Road has also caused traffic delays in the area.
Claire Church runs the Remember Me Tea Room next to the construction site. This has affected his business but he hopes it will lead to a better future.
He said: “I have to be positive and hopeful that this will make things better, the old high street model doesn’t work anymore. People have stopped visiting and stores have left, maybe this is a new way of making things better. We need to try new things.”
