Demolition begins in May as part of a £9.9 million project to revitalize Eston town centre with new shops and parking.
They plan to tear down stores at Eston Square, replacing them with new shops and fun places. The project costs £9.9 million, using government funds, with additional money from the Tees Valley Combined Authority. They will build seven or eight new stores, and one hundred new car parking spaces will get added too.
The council agreed on money details with landowners, allowing them to buy land for the demolition. Last year, people shared their thoughts, and locals support this plan greatly. The council also showed drawings of the future area.
Esh company will handle the demolition work, which starts the week of May 5. Councillor David Taylor said most shops are now empty, as businesses had already moved out. Taylor said the demolition may last four months, followed by building, with everything expected to finish by spring 2026.
Taylor claims retailers want to join the project, but nobody has signed any papers yet. He also said this project took a very long time.
A report from 2023 wants big changes for Eston’s center to stop the area’s decline. New stores could help by providing better options for shoppers. Last year, Louise Anderson talked about the worries from some stores, with some owners just wanting to know their payment amount.
Eston lost stores after Tesco moved to Low Grange Farm, and other stores went with it. A past retail project failed back in 2021. Some stores also complained of issues like damp and mold.