A riverside destination
The Tees. Our river. It runs through us. It's the focus for much of our regeneration and will become much more connected to the town centre when Stockton Waterfront urban park is complete.
It's an important part of our story and we will build on our assets like the Tees Barrage and its International White Water Centre to grow more opportunities for people to use and enjoy the river.
Town Centre south - Stockton Waterfront urban park
The urban park will become an iconic visitor destination in the Tees Valley and will connect the High Street with our river and the wider area. It will be a driver for change and growth across the Blueprint.
A visitor destination
The Blueprint aims to give opportunities for everyone to get out onto the water and enjoy it by:
- celebrating our landmark bridges, riverside buildings and sites like the urban park and Tees Barrage
- creating activities and events on the water to bring visitors
- exploring opportunities to strengthen the eight bridges way and celebrate our industrial past
- increasing leisure boats and support existing cruises and boat clubs - as demand grows, larger boats could be moored restaurants
Supporting health, wellbeing and active travel
To support the Borough's health, wellbeing and activity, the Blueprint plans to:
- provide new opportunities for exercise and taking part in water sports like boating, swimming and water volleyball
- enhance our river's paths to link the town centre to North Shore, Castlegate Quay and beyond
- develop circular walks and running routes by exploring connections to our canals
- create moments to relax, enjoy and enhance nature along the river
New waterfront homes
The Blueprint:
- uses our wonderful riverside views to develop waterfront sites to connect outer areas into the town centre
- explores extra mooring points along the canals for live-aboard boats
Challenges
Some of the challenges for the riverside plans are:
- our river covers a huge area in Stockton and Thornaby - it could also be a barrier to movement
- the river is deep and public water safety needs to be considered
- the lock at the barrage places a limit on the size of boats accessing the river
- we need to make sure the leisure offer on the river does not undermine existing activities like rowing
- the canals that cross Teesdale Business Park are not designed for navigation and there could be headroom issues on bridges
Key areas
Town Centre South
Stockton Waterfront urban park will open up views of the river from the High Street and make it a key area in the town.
Castlegate Quay
This area could be the gateway to the River Tees. It is already the docking point for cruises and it could be developed into a place that combines residential, leisure and heritage on the waterside.
Municipal Quarter
We propose to create waterfront apartments on the current car park. They would have amazing views of the bend of the river.
Stockton Waterways
From water sports and play to residential moorings, a lido and floating restaurants, there's a range of opportunities for our water space. The land around the White Water Course could be used for an amphitheatre for live events.
Tees Valley Care and Health Innovation Zone (TVCHIZ)
St Mark's Basin will use the river as part of its regeneration and the canals that run through Teesdale Business Park.
Potential projects
St Mark's Basin
The basin and the surrounding land is an important location for the Blueprint. Its regeneration will see development including a new care and health educational anchor alongside improvements and community events to allow people to connect with the river.
White Water Centre
Land around the White Water Centre could be used to create an amphitheatre for our fantastic live events.
Waterways interventions
We can use the river, its basins and the canals to create activities and interventions, including a floating lido and more water sports.