A bargain retailer and a major bank have objected to plans to buy up a doomed shopping centre.

Demolition work has already started on the Castlegate shopping centre, in Stockton High Street, as it makes way for an ambitious riverside park and new office spaces. But two objections have been lodged by Barclays and B&M against Stockton Council’s compulsory purchase order (CPO) to buy up the remaining sites.

A CPO is a legal process which allows bodies to acquire land where it hasn’t been possible to agree a voluntary purchase. A report for Thursday’s cabinet meeting shows 29 businesses had either relocated from the Castlegate into council-owned Wellington Square and other High Street units.

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However, it added Heron, Barclays and B&M were the remaining three tenants in the 1970s centre yet to agree to relocate – with objections to the CPO from Barclays and B&M.The report added: “Whilst negotiations have progressed at differing speeds, discussions are positive in respect of seeing all three relocate to Wellington Square.”

Asked why it was objecting to the CPO, Barclays declined to comment. B&M has also been contacted for comment on its objection.

A CPO inquiry has been scheduled to be held in mid-August, however, the council is expecting agreements on relocations to be reached before then. The council paper also showed Wellington Square was now seeing a footfall 10-15% higher than at the same point in 2019 – with vacancy rates in the centre around 10% once relocations are complete.

Work has also been ongoing at the former H&M store with efforts to break it down into six smaller ground floor retail units and turning the first floor into an employment and training hub.

When it came to demolition work across the High Street, officials say the demolition “proper” will begin next week. A final layout for the riverside park is set to be unveiled in September before the detailed designs are drawn up early next year.

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Officials are also working with staff at the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust to create health facilities on the High Street. This comes after the waterfront site was named as the preferred location for a £30m diagnostic centre for the Tees Valley.

A replacement for Splash is also part of the high street plan. The report added: “Officers are exploring funding via Sport England to enhance and support the delivery of the new leisure facility, as well as exploring opportunities to access National Heritage Lottery Funding for potential investment in enhancements to the Town Hall and Shambles.”Leaders will meet on Thursday afternoon.

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