Safety will come first in Golden Eagle, Thornaby demolition

Leaders at Stockton Council have agreed to use £1.34m from a funding pot towards the demolition job, which has been described by Middlesbrough and Thornaby East Labour MP Andy McDonald as “one of the most complicated demolition jobs of its kind ever performed in the UK”.

This came as a leading independent councillor hailed vital steps towards regeneration in Thornaby, saying: “Progress is at last going to be realised.”

Councillor Richard Eglington, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The Golden Eagle is a blight on the landscape of Thornaby. We’re all working to make sure this building comes down quickly and, most importantly, safely.”

The council’s cabinet approved using £1.34m of previously allocated funding from the Indigenous Growth Fund.

Tackling long-term vacant properties in Thornaby town centre was one of the priorities identified by the Town Deal Board, which is made up of local stakeholders including councillors and MPs, for £23.9m of government Town Fund money.

Cllr Eglington told the council’s cabinet meeting last night: “The Eagle is a highly complex asbestos removal job. And it’s safe to say that the majority of extra funding needed is for the safe removal of that asbestos.

“This building is not in an isolated location – it is in the centre of town metres away from residents and a busy town centre. Safety will always come before speed.

“The Town Deal Board has been kept informed at all stages, and I would like to thank most members, who have chosen to engage productively and with the single-minded goal of improving the great town of Thornaby.

I would like to personally thank the Town Deal chair Mark White who, even in the face of bitter and quite frankly disgusting online abuse, has never wavered from his role and has done so with dignity and humility.”

Responding to comments from Conservative Cllr Lynn Hall who said the Golden Eagle demolition was “behind schedule”, deputy leader and resources cabinet member Cllr Paul Rowling said: “The Golden Eagle is very well known with the issues around that.

“You know the complications around the demolition. To say it could be done quicker is totally disingenuous for the people of Thornaby.

“It’s against the facts. You’ve had experts go into that building and say it’s the worst they’ve ever seen, asbestos in places you wouldn’t expect it to be in.

So we’re going to do the job properly, because that’s what the people of Thornaby deserve, and that town centre reinvigorated.”

Cllr Sylvia Walmsley, leader of the Thornaby Independent Association, said the Eagle’s demolition was part of a “bold exciting vision”. She said: “It’s built on the next 25 years so we’ve got lots of time to make adjustments and changes that may be needed.

“The Golden Eagle was identified as a priority many years ago and the long-awaited demolition is an essential requirement for the sustainability of the town centre. The process to get this far has been fraught with problems.

“We have now reached this final hurdle which, subject to approval, will allow the contractor to be appointed without further delay to carry out the work safely, with completion by spring 2026.”

She thanked the cabinet for using £1.34m from the Indigenous Growth Fund towards the Eagle: “This allows demolition to progress without affecting or diluting any Town Deal monies.

Once again it demonstrates the willingness of all partners and officers on the Town Deal Board to work together to find solutions and bring about positive change for our town.”

She said the breaking of ground on the development of the new £14.7m NETA specialist engineering training centre off Princeton Avenue, Thornaby days earlier was “the first visual sign, following years of hard work, planning and cooperation. Progress is at last beginning to be realised.

“The swimming baths are progressing, with detailed designs and construction due to start in the autumn. Cycleways should be complete by summer 2026.

“In North Thornaby there’s been huge achievements with safety measures installed to 955 properties and energy efficiencies carried out to 184 properties, saving householders on average £700 a year.

So far nine empty properties have been purchased to bring back into use and there are plans for more in the pipeline.”