An official visit from Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, has marked the start on site for Esh’s civil engineering division at the former Redcar steelworks entrance as part of a £1.6m contract with Teesworks.
Esh Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive, Andy Radcliffe and Steve Wilkie, joined Mayor Houchen and Councillor Mary Lanigan – leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council – on site to witness the demolition of the long-standing gatehouse, which has become a key symbol since the closure of the SSI steelworks in 2015.
Marking the five year anniversary since SSI steelworks went into liquidation, Esh’s civil engineering division has commenced work to revamp the entrance of the former Redcar steelworks into a grand state-of-the-art entrance for a new and long-anticipated internationally distinctive industrial zone in the Tees Valley.
Demolition of the existing gatehouse will pave the way for a new modern gatehouse which will be constructed from structural insulated panels (SIPs). Car parking areas will be formed to the east and west of the entrance – with the use of gabion retaining structures to retain the existing embankments – while hard landscaped footpaths and pedestrian islands will form a link between the parking facilities and gatehouse.
A key focal point of the development is a purpose-built 3.7-metre-high LED screen which will be installed onto the existing bridge as a feature to showcase the capabilities of the industrial zone. Further decoration will come from bespoke street lighting, modern landscaping, and planting of mature trees to create a welcoming, eye-catching entrance for visitors and international investors.
Andy Radcliffe, Esh Group’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The demolition of the former gatehouse and the reinstatement of this new entrance is a significant milestone in the regeneration of the former SSI site and without doubt will act as a catalyst for job creation, economic growth and business investment in the Tees Valley.
“Our deep-rooted values at Esh very much align with that of the Mayor’s – we believe in employing local, buying local, and providing maximum economic benefit for our clients and their communities. We look forward to working alongside the Mayor and his team on future projects, such as further enabling works and the development of new assets and infrastructure, and ultimately in playing our part in making the Tees Valley a driving force for economic and social value in the North East of England.”
With orders still being placed, more than a third of the project spend will be reinvested into the Tees Valley economy through responsible procurement of local suppliers and sub-contractors. The 90-square-metre LED screen will come from Stockton-based Cornerstone Business Solutions which forms a substantial package of the works.
The scheme forms part of Teesworks’ ambitious plans to turn the 4,500-acre site – the biggest re-development opportunity in the country – into a home for clean growth, large scale manufacturing and tech companies, powered by net zero energy.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “The pain, job losses, and economic impact from this site’s closure five years ago cannot be understated. We’ll soon see diggers on the site and construction under way on the state-of-the-art gateway, which will be an impressive shop window for our international investors and something local people can be proud of.
“We only announced our 12-month, £393million demolition and remediation programme a few short months ago, but we’re already getting to work and contracting local firms providing hundreds of local jobs for real local people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.
“There’s so much activity under way across the entire site and it feels right to be carrying this out today, marking an important milestone and finally drawing a line under the problems of the past; represents a new start for the whole area.”
Cllr Mary Lanigan, Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, added: “It was a devastating blow when SSI closed for all of us in Redcar and Cleveland, but especially those directly affected. A lot of hard work from a lot of people has happened since and it is wonderful to see that beginning to pay off. Ourselves and our partners are determined to press on and create an industrial site of global significance which can attract investment from around the world. Today is another step on the road to ensuring thousands of quality jobs return to our borough for generations to come.”
The demolition of the former gatehouse and the reinstatement of this new entrance is a significant milestone in the regeneration of the former SSI site and without doubt will act as a catalyst for job creation, economic growth, and business investment in the Tees Valley.
“Our deep-rooted values at Esh very much align with that of the Mayor's - we believe in employing local, buying local, and providing maximum economic benefit for our clients and their communities. We look forward to working alongside the Mayor and his team on future projects, such as further enabling works and the development of new assets and infrastructure, and ultimately in playing our part in making the Tees Valley a driving force for economic and social value in the North East of England.”
