ENGINEERING firms Cleveland Bridge and Dorman Long have won multi-million pound contracts to work on a £15m flagship North-East development, it was revealed yesterday.

Work on a pedestrian bridge over the River Tees, which forms part of the £300m North Shore development in Stockton, officially got under way yesterday.

And it was revealed that Darlington-based Cleveland Bridge and its sister company, Dorman Long, have both won contracts to work on the project, which has been hailed as a centrepiece of the North Shore scheme.

Cleveland Bridge, which told The Northern Echo earlier this week it was on the verge of sealing several major international contracts, will work on the fabrication and erection of the bridge, which is due to be completed by the end of next year.

Dorman Long, which was involved in the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, will be involved in temporary works as part of the construction.

Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering Ltd will also be working on the bridge alongside the two local companies.

The bridge, and North Shore project - a 56-acre riverside redevelopment project that could bring up to 2,500 jobs to Stockton and the Tees Valley, and will also include an expansion of Durham University's Queen's Campus - are both being led by Tees Valley Regeneration (TVR).

Joe Docherty, TVR chief executive, said it was pleasing that Tees Valley firms were involved in the project.

"This bridge will be spectacular - it is a unique design and would be challenging to construct anywhere in the world," he said.

"The fact that it is going to be built here on our doorstep is fantastic. That the companies technically advanced enough to construct it are also here makes it amazing.

"North Shore is one of Tees Valley Regeneration's flag- ship developments and it deserves to be serviced by a bridge of this stature."

Neil Barnes, Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering's regional managing director, said: "This is a very exciting construction and engineering project.

"Together with our partners, we have a locally-based team who relish the challenge of constructing this unique structure. We are all focused on the successful delivery of this project."

The £15m project is being financed by English Partnerships, Stockton Borough Council, One NorthEast and the European Regional Development Fund.