Gateshead Flyover demolition not to start until at least March
Gateshead council say work on demolishing the crumbling Flyover won't start til March at the earliest - as another building needs to come down first
Gateshead council say work on demolishing the crumbling Flyover won't start til March at the earliest - as another building needs to come down first.
The abandoned A167 highway flyover has stood empty for more than a year, having been closed in December 2024 due to fears that it was at risk of collapse.
Gateshead Council plans to tear down the concrete structure, with hopes that its removal can clear a path for major regeneration works across the town centre.
Local authority bosses announced last October that the flyover would start coming down early in the new year and be largely demolished by May 2026.
However, contractors BAM Nuttall and Thompsons of Prudhoe first need to demolish the derelict Computer House building to allow them better access to the central section of the flyover.
While the vacant offices have been stripped out since work began on the site in October, the block remains standing.
Gateshead Council confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Friday that Computer House’s demolition is now expected to be complete in March, after which the work will “move straight on” to the flyover.
The council said that the stripping out of Computer House, where scaffolding is now being erected ahead of it being torn down, had to be done “extremely carefully” due to the presence of asbestos.
A spokesperson added: “The demolition of Computer House is expected to be complete in March, and the contractors will then move straight on to the flyover demolition.
"To ensure a smooth transition to the next stage of work, preparatory work is being done already, including the removal of traffic signs and other street furniture, and the road surface under the flyover structure being prepared for the installation of props.
“Contractors will also be installing extra monitoring equipment in the Metro tunnels, to ensure the safe running of the trains while demolition progresses at ground level.
"This weekend (Friday 9th night to Saturday 10th morning), GPR (ground penetrating radar) surveys will be taking place at Park Lane roundabout to check for any obstacles below ground that are not apparent on existing plans.
"This will see a full closure of the roundabout from 8pm til 6am with diversions in place. Over the following weeks further preparation works on the flyover itself will take place in preparation for demolition.”
A full timescale for the demolition of the flyover is yet to be announced.
It also remains unclear whether underground Tyne and Wear Metro services beneath it will need to be suspended during any stage of the works, as was the case around Christmas 2024 shortly after the flyover’s emergency closure was put in place.