Work on the next phase of a key link road in Sunderland is set to get started, with Esh Construction appointed as main contractor.
A programme to create a new Ryhope Doxford Link Road (RDLR) that will connect the roundabout at Highclere Drive through to the Cherry Knowles site in Ryhope will get underway next month, with Esh Construction delivering the 600m single carriageway on behalf of Sunderland City Council. A new four-metre-wide, three-span bridge for pedestrians, cyclists, and equestrians will also be constructed above the link road to allow the new highway to pass beneath Burdon Lane.
The Sunderland City Council-led project will unlock land for new housing developments, improve the transport network between Ryhope and Doxford, and provide sustainable transport routes to benefit the wider community and environment.
Steve Conn, Divisional Director at Esh Construction, said: “Building on the success of the recently completed Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor Phase 3 and the current works to re-develop Parsons Depot, we are delighted to be once again working in partnership with the council to improve local infrastructure and transport links in and around the city.
“This scheme will involve deep rock cuttings of 7m, as well as a large volume of earthworks, drainage and service diversions. Throughout the scheme we will look to maximise the social and economic benefits for the local community by employing a local workforce, procuring a local supply chain and supporting local initiatives.”
Work is expected to take just over a year to complete and is part of a range of works planned to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place as more homes are developed in the South Sunderland Growth Area (SSGA), a major development area that is part of the council’s plans for 7,000 new homes in Sunderland in the next decade.
The project is being partly funded by the developers of SSGA as well as using part of a £25million grant the council secured from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF).
Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We’re delighted to have appointed Esh Construction as the delivery partner to progress with the RDLR.
“This is a significant new road that will connect the communities taking shape in the Sunderland South Growth Area (SSGA), ensuring that transport links across the city are fit for purpose long into the future. And, as with all the projects we commission in the city, we’re pleased this will continue to deliver social value supporting people and businesses in the city with jobs and opportunities.”
Upon completion of this phase, the road will complete the link between the A1018 Southern Radial Route, Burdon Road, Doxford Park and beyond.
The scheme was procured via the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO).
Building on the success of the recently completed Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor Phase 3 and the current works to re-develop Parsons Depot, we are delighted to be once again working in partnership with the council to improve local infrastructure and transport links in and around the city. This scheme will involve deep rock cuttings of 7m, as well as a large volume of earthworks, drainage and service diversions.”
