Work on Riverside Park gets underway

Spades have officially broken ground on the development of a stunning new public park in Sunderland city centre.

Spanning both sides of the River Wear, Riverside Park will be the centrepiece of Riverside Sunderland, one of the UK's largest urban regeneration projects.

Covering 13.7 hectares of parkland and 5.3 hectares of riverfront, the park will be made up of five areas; Southern Gateway, Kingsley Gardens, Galley's Gill, Lambton Riverside, and Wearmouth Riverside.

Construction work will be delivered in phases, with work on the first phase which comprises the Southern Gateway and Kingsley Gardens, now underway.

Situated between the Riverside multi-storey car park and new Eye Hospital, the Southern Gateway will comprise a new park entrance, attractive landscaped spaces, ponds, and social areas designed to increase biodiversity and encourage public use.

Kingsley Gardens, a community-managed garden space featuring individual and communal plots, will provide public spaces for growing organic fruit and vegetables and spaces to relax and socialise.

Future phases will see the introduction of more high-quality landscaping, walking routes and exercise zones, play areas and a skate park, and areas for community gatherings and events.

The transformation of Riverside Park aims to respect the extensive heritage value, create new and enhanced habitats, reintroduce native species that maximise biodiversity, and support active healthy lifestyles to improve community wellbeing.

Cllr Kevin Johnston, cabinet member for housing, regeneration and business, said: "It is fantastic to see work getting underway on yet another key city development.

"Riverside Park will be at the beating heart of Riverside Sunderland, providing green spaces, communal gardens, and recreational areas for people of all ages to utilise and enjoy.

"It will also perfectly complement the new Eye Hospital, providing patients and their families with beautiful, landscaped green spaces to enjoy. It really will provide something for everyone."

Esh Construction, a leading construction and built environment business headquartered in County Durham, is leading on the delivery of Riverside Park.

Cllr Johnston added: "We are proud that Esh Construction, a business deeply rooted in the North East, is delivering this project.

"We have made a commitment as a Council to ensure that our developments maximise benefit for the local and regional economy, and this is a prime example of that.

"Esh is a North East business, delivering a project for the people of the North East which will unlock local jobs and supply chain opportunities for North East people and businesses."

Andy Radcliffe, Esh's chief executive, said: "It was a pleasure to be part of the start on site event and hear more about how this important project will become a key feature in the Riverside Sunderland landscape. We look forward to building on the success of previous projects that we have delivered as part of the wider regeneration of Sunderland while generating even more social and economic value for the local community."

For more information on Riverside Sunderland, visit: https://www.riversidesunderland.com/