Next steps considered for Golden Eagle to bring about transformational change in Thornaby Town Centre

Steps to ensure exciting new development in Thornaby to bring about transformational change, will be considered next week.

It has been a long-held ambition of the Thornaby Town Deal Board to demolish the empty Golden Eagle building and create opportunities for the site.

On Thursday 17 July Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's Cabinet will be updated on the extensive pre-demolition surveys which have been carried out since the Council took control of the building in October 2024.

Invasive pre-demolition surveys, that could only be carried out once the building was in Council ownership, revealed significant levels of asbestos with one surveyor indicating the level of asbestos is the worst he has ever encountered.

This has added to both the complexity of the demolition and the time that it will take to clear the site.

Cabinet will be asked to approve using £1.34 million of previously allocated funding from the Indigenous Growth fund to allow the project to move forwards.

If approved, the Council will progress with awarding the demolition contract to a preferred contractor to begin work on site in August. The site is expected to be cleared by Spring 2026.

Councillor Richard Eglington, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: "We've been working through the complex pre-demolition surveys for the Golden Eagle which have shown the required asbestos removal works would be far greater than the initial budget allocation.

"This original allocation was based on the demolition of a similar town centre building - Phoenix House - and was doubled for contingency.

"The surveys could only be taken once the Council had control of the building and identified high levels of asbestos, which have helped us better inform the specifications for the tender contracts.

"It's essential that we bring the building down to unlock the opportunity for new development as part of plans for our town centres to be vibrant and economically successful, so they attract investment and are fit for future generations."

Tackling long-term vacant properties in the town centre is one of the key areas that the Town Deal Board identified as a priority for the £23.9million Town Deal.

The Board is made up of a range of local stakeholders from public and private sector bodies, including Thornaby councillors and MPs for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East and Stockton West.

Mark White, CBE DL, Chair of the Thornaby Town Deal Board, said: "The Golden Eagle is a barrier to unlocking further development in the town centre and enabling new development and change of use is an important part of the Town Investment Plan.

"The Board is continuing to work hard to ensure the Town Deal's five priority projects are delivered to drive long-term economic growth."

Meanwhile, detailed design of a new leisure facility in the town centre, which will sit on the former Phoenix House site, is continuing.

This would bring an enhanced, modern addition to the leisure offer in Thornaby, including a five-lane swimming pool and gym with a new entrance and car park, linked to the Pavilion.

Final stages of this design will be completed this summer, with work due to begin on the construction of the building in the Autumn.

These proposals are part of the Council's place making ambitions to ensure Stockton-on-Tees is a place of choice for people to live, work and visit and is part of the Council's transformation work Powering Our Future.