Collapse fear cracked bridges to be demolished

Two bridges that developed cracks and were closed off due to a risk of collapse are to be demolished.

Stockton Council submitted a prior notification to its own planning department to demolish the "redundant" Crawford's and Black Square's bridges across the Castle Eden Walkway in Wynyard.

It pointed to faults including deep cracks and movement which were spotted a decade ago, noting that demolition was recommended in 2023, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The council said there was no start date for the two-week long demolition but it was expected to start this autumn and Castle Eden Walkway would be closed during the work.

Supporting information on the council's planning site said the "long-standing and progressively worsening defects" were first spotted in 2016 and have since "not only persisted but have gradually intensified".

Councillor Nigel Cooke, cabinet member for environment, leisure and culture, claimed the bridges had "long outlived their original purpose".

"We know these two bridges are familiar landmarks for many people who enjoy the Castle Eden Walkway, but we have to put the public's safety first," he said.

"Due to the nature and severity of the failures, we know that a repair option would effectively require a full rebuild, which would have significant cost implications and would far exceed the available budget."

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