Stockton's Castlegate Shopping Centre permanent closure date set ahead of major demolition phase

Work has started on the demolition of the Castlegate shopping centre in Stockton. Credit: ITV News Tyne Tees

Castlegate Shopping Centre is set to permanently close this month to enable the second phase of demolition of its demolition.

The second phase is due to begin on Monday 24 October, which will include the complete demolition of the Swallow Hotel and shopping centre up to the mall entrance at B&M.

The buildings are being knocked down in order to create Stockton Waterfront, an urban park and riverside plaza.

It will include a land bridge structure that will connect Stockton High Street to the River Tees.

An artist's impression of the Stockton Waterfront concept. Credit: Stockton Council

During the second phase of demolition, a number of changes will be in place from Monday 24 October:

  • Castlegate Shopping Centre will permanently close. There will be no access to the shopping centre or Spencer Market Hall. B&M and Barclays will remain open with access from Stockton High Street.

  • Castlegate Shopping Centre’s rooftop car park will permanently close. Alternative town centre car parks can be found here.

  • Access into Castlegate Shopping Centre via the Millennium Footbridge will be permanently closed. A diversion from the footbridge to the town centre will be available via the Riverside Road footbridge into Silver Street or via Tower Street.

Hoardings covering the second phase will be installed along the High Street and Riverside Road in preparation for the next phase of work.

Demolition teams will then move through the most northern part of the centre following the relocation of remaining tenants Barclays and B&M.

The first phase of demolition, which involved the complete demolition multi-storey carpark and the southern end of the shopping centre, is almost complete.

The demolition of the existing multi-storey car park is nearly complete. Credit: ITV News Tyne Tees

Councillor Nigel Cooke, cabinet member for housing and regeneration at Stockton Borough Council, said: "This is an exciting time for Stockton town centre and the closure of Castlegate Shopping Centre represents an important milestone in both the town’s history and its redevelopment.

"The demolition is in its early stages but you can already see the striking impact that removing these buildings will have on the town and how wonderful it will be once the High Street is fully opened up to the river.

"We’ve worked closely with Castlegate’s tenants on their relocation into Wellington Square and there’s been some real success stories there.

"The work we are doing in Stockton and across our six town centres to encourage new uses and ensure they are vibrant places means that the future will be bright for residents, businesses and visitors."

The demolition will be complete in summer 2023, with the construction and redevelopment of the urban park beginning soon after.

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