Demolition halted at site for new leisure park

Demolition work to make way for a town's new leisure attraction has been halted and may not resume until next year.

More design work is needed before construction can continue at the site of the former Marks & Spencer and Goodwins stores on Redcar’s Esplanade, Redcar and Cleveland Council said.

The authority, which is behind the scheme financed by the government's Town Deal fund, said it also needed agreements with neighbouring properties.

It added this work would take place over the next two months, before the demolition can be resumed and the leisure site with tenpin bowling, mini golf, laser tag, a climbing walls and a cultural hub can be built.

Some residents have been critical of the appearance of the area, questioning the lack of activity and the removal of heavy plant machinery, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council previously acquired the buildings, which lay between the Esplanade and the High Street, with a town deal steering group coming up with plans for the site, which include a new public space.

The build is also due to incorporate a new home for the town’s central library, currently based in Ridley Street.

A statement published by the council acknowledged the "pause" and said the first phase of demolition had enabled investigations into the condition of surrounding walls and structures.

Earlier in the year a council officer told a scrutiny committee of complications that had been caused by the discovery of asbestos in the buildings to come down.

The M&S in Redcar closed in 2014 and the building was eventually put up for sale on the open market with a guide price of just under £1.3m.

It was bought by the council in 2021, while cut-price retailer Goodwins also later moved out as a result of a similar deal struck with the authority.

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