A NEW £4M pedestrian and cycle bridge is to be built across the River Tees at as part of a massive regeneration project and residents are being urged to have their say on the final design.

Over the next week people will be able to view and vote on five designs for the new bridge, which links the University of Durham, Queen's Campus, Stockton with the town's Northbank development.

A series of public exhibitions will be held, information leaflets distributed and beer mats placed in 40 of Stockton's pubs. There will also be a special website set up.

Joe Docherty, Tees Valley Regeneration chief executive, said: "It is a tremendously exciting project which will have a huge impact not only on Stockton and Thornaby, but on the whole of the Tees Valley."

Following a competition, 28 firms submitted entries for the design of the bridge at Northbank.

This has since been whittled down to the final five who are;

* Future Systems, responsible for the new stand and scoreboard at Lords Cricket Ground.

* Glenn Howells Architects, designers of the Timber Wharf development in Manchester.

* Lifschutz Davidson Architects, responsible for the Hungerford Bridge across the River Thames.

* Spence Associates, designers of the Turner Centre at Margate.

* Wilkinson Eyre, the company responsible for Tyneside's blinking eye Millennium Bridge.

Led by Tees Valley Regeneration, Stockton Borough Council, One NorthEast and English Partnerships, the bridge will form part of the transformation of Northbank.

It will pave the way for redevelopment expected to attract £120m of private sector investment in a research-based business and education park, hotel, restaurants waterfront apartments and open space.

If all goes to plan it is expected work will start on the bridge next year.

Mr Docherty said: "We have done the best we can in order to maximise the number of people who will be consulted.

"Exhibitions will appear in supermarkets, many pubs will have beer mats and I think it will become a talking point.

"I would urge people to vote and have their say on the design they like."

For further information visit the website www.teesvalleyregeneration.co.uk