Demolition of Golden Eagle in Thornaby could start in August

Stockton Council had aimed to start the demolition of the seven-storey eyesore by the end of this month. However, it has now been revealed that because of technical requirements, “additional funding will be needed to start the works”, with a demolition contract now expected to be finalised in July and work to start in August.

The authority has submitted a “prior notification” to its planning department for the “demolition of the existing seven-storey building to include associated structures, car park and perimeter walls”. It gives an expected start date for the works of August 18 this year, and an expected completion date of March 31, 2026.

On the application form, the council says the demolition needs to take place because “the derelict state of the property is detracting from the local amenity, and the cleared site can be re-used for town centre uses”. It says the building will be knocked down by “mechanical demolition, with the building brought down floor by floor”.

It adds: “The site will be cleared and left level with granular sub base for future development… Demolition arisings will be removed from site to a landfill site.”

A site notice says the council is applying “for determination as to whether the prior approval of the local planning authority is required for the method of demolition and any proposed restoration of the site” on Trenchard Avenue, Thornaby. It gives a date of August 2025 for carrying out the demolition, and councillors, officers and Thornaby Town Council are being notified in a consultation which finishes on July 11.

Last month Councillor Richard Eglington, cabinet member for regeneration and housing, gave an update on the Golden Eagle to a full council meeting. He said the council secured the leasehold interest in the Golden Eagle in October last year “after a protracted and complicated period of negotiations” and there had since been checks, surveys and inspections “allowing us to better inform the specifications of tender to enable the demolition of the property”.

He said the tender process had closed and tenders were “being assessed with a view to appoint and start on site as early as possible. This is aimed to be done by the end of June 2025. Timescales remain an estimate until the tender appointment process is concluded and a contract programme agreed with the successful demolition contractor. Full programme details and milestones will be shared once agreed.”

Cllr Eglington told the Local Democracy Reporting Service today: “At the time of the statement at council, the intention was to begin work on the Golden Eagle site in June 2025. The council has been carrying out a procurement exercise for a contractor to demolish the building.

“As part of that process and in light of the detailed technical requirements identified through the tender returns, it has become clear that additional funding will be needed to start the works. This has been identified and will require a decision by the council’s cabinet to allocate the additional resource to allow the demolition contract to be formalised.

“Subject to cabinet approval, the demolition contract will be finalised later in July with a view to work beginning on site in August.” The council says full details of the programme, funding and contractor can only be confirmed and shared following a decision by cabinet enabling the contract and finalising the details on Thursday, July 17.