Work is being undertaken to demolish and reconstruct 56 metres of river wall adjacent to the Marriott Hotel, downstream of Baths Bridge.
Consultants appointed by the owners of the hotel, in response to concerns expressed by the Environment Agency, carried out an inspection of the site around 5 years ago and established that parts of the wall and supporting structures are in poor condition, having been eroded and undermined by the scouring action of sediment in the river. The walkway above the wall was found to be unstable and is therefore also to be rebuilt.
The construction work is being carried out by Southbay Civil Engineering using a pontoon supplied and assembled by Coastworks. Work commenced on September 6th with the pontoon assembly being carried out from the Durham ARC landing stage, and is expected to take around 3 weeks to complete.
Pontoon assembly by Coastworks
River users should be aware of the hazard and keep a good look out in order to ensure safety. It is likely to move along the river as work progresses.
Pontoon site
Meanwhile, a statement from Durham County Council confirms that New Elvet Bridge is on target to reopen in October 2021.