391:
1303:
403:
179:
161:
143:
113:
41:
33:
427:
415:
294:, with the purpose of reducing traffic congestion. It was designed by Spence Associates in partnership with structural engineering firm Techniker. The bridge was first designed in 2005, but it was kept confidential for several years by the City Council to avoid a rise in expectations until funding was secured. The council was also considering plans for a cheaper, basic
341:
held a public consultation on the designs to see if the public would prefer the Spence design to a more basic beam bridge. The consultation showed that people in the
Sunderland area were in favour of the Spence design. The council decided to back the Spence design and abandon the cheaper beam bridge
357:
On 26 May 2010, Sunderland City
Council approved the planning application and the project appeared ready to go ahead. However, by July 2013 construction still had not begun, due to difficulty in producing the design at the approved funding level; several contractors withdrew from the project. This
349:
The decision to build the Spence design became official
Sunderland City Council policy on 9 September 2009. In November 2009, public notices on the compulsory purchase of land and new rights for the project were published including side roads orders and bridge schemes notices, made under the
342:
option. They justified their decision on the grounds that the more ambitious design would attract more businesses to the city and thus create more jobs. The United
Kingdom government then announced a contribution of £93 million towards construction and the regional development agency
305:, whose aim was to use the bridge as part of a Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor to improve transport links and to improve the city's image. In 2017, following a public consultation and vote, the crossing was named the Northern Spire Bridge out of three shortlisted names.
333:
undertook a study for this new river crossing. An international design competition was organised by
Sunderland Arc in 2005. Several submissions were made, including one by Frank Gehry, but it was the cable-stayed design of Spence Associated that won.
354:. An official planning application was placed with Sunderland City Council on 7 December 2009 with a consultation expiry date of 29 October 2010. Construction was timetabled to start around 2012.
1212:
1678:
282:. Originally an ambitious design was selected, but was later dropped after several contractors withdrew. In 2014, the project switched to a cheaper cable-stayed design.
1009:
519:
654:
1693:
1245:
524:
1377:
555:
376:
by Victor Buyck Steel
Construction) was installed which stands at a height of 105 m (344 ft), making it the tallest structure in Sunderland.
390:
1698:
1412:
1199:
958:
705:
95:
1382:
1683:
1569:
1096:
379:
The raising of the single bridge pylon marked the culmination of two years of design and planning, as well as twelve months of fabricating.
1448:
402:
1549:
1488:
278:
A crossing had been proposed as early as 2005, however financial uncertainties caused significant delay until funding was approved by
1688:
1493:
1238:
1112:
628:
298:
design. The cost of the Spence design was estimated at £133 million for the bridge and the associated approaches and roadworks.
1337:
1417:
1332:
1048:
1372:
757:
57:
1554:
1195:
89:
1503:
1342:
451:
50:
1231:
828:
731:
854:
679:
598:
271:, England. The crossing opened to pedestrians on 28 August 2018, before opening to traffic the next day. A two span
426:
894:
1508:
1483:
1362:
1277:
983:
275:
structure, construction began in May 2015, overseen by
Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction.
414:
1407:
1183:
767:
569:
358:
led to a reassessment of the design, which dropped the Spence plan in favour of a simpler cable-stayed design.
365:
delivered the preliminary and detailed design of the bridge with Yee
Associates as architectural consultants.
1605:
493:
1657:
1595:
1463:
1317:
362:
338:
106:
1206:
560:
172:
1564:
1473:
1443:
1387:
1357:
1302:
178:
160:
1703:
1498:
1322:
529:
272:
195:
142:
112:
40:
1397:
1292:
1282:
1254:
762:
322:
1652:
1478:
1402:
1392:
1367:
1092:
1062:
1023:
908:
868:
771:
573:
465:
351:
32:
1631:
1600:
1458:
1453:
709:
346:
pledged another £8.5 million, with the council funding the remaining £23 million required.
1590:
1533:
1438:
1327:
1053:
1014:
899:
859:
456:
125:
1137:
325:
to assist with finding a suitable location for the siting of a new road bridge over the
1518:
1347:
1287:
1177:
1058:
1019:
904:
864:
832:
735:
533:
497:
461:
318:
302:
154:
796:
1672:
1626:
1352:
1258:
343:
314:
268:
1223:
1468:
1010:"Sunderland City Council scraps plan to build £118million bridge across the Wear"
1559:
1523:
1513:
1433:
330:
295:
279:
655:"Spence Associates' 'iconic' Wear Bridge comes face to face with 'basic' rival"
1272:
1167:
326:
291:
264:
260:
1066:
1027:
912:
872:
775:
577:
469:
72:
59:
1574:
683:
606:
368:
Between 10 and 11 February 2017, the central A-frame pylon (fabricated in
1113:"England's new Sunderland Bridge renamed Northern Spire | World Highways"
933:
801:
629:"England's new Sunderland Bridge renamed Northern Spire | World Highways"
373:
556:"Spence Associates' Wear Bridge comes face to face with 'basic' rival"
290:
The bridge has been constructed to the west side of the city over the
1636:
565:
1621:
369:
214:
1227:
806:
301:
The crossing forms part of the regeneration plan produced by
758:"Council backs iconic Wear bridge despite the expense"
1645:
1614:
1583:
1542:
1426:
1310:
1265:
244:
236:
228:
223:
209:
201:
191:
186:
168:
150:
120:
102:
88:
49:
23:
1049:"How the new £118m Sunderland bridge might look"
520:"Landmark Wear bridge to be Sunderland's symbol"
953:
951:
1091:. Marlborough: Crowood Press. pp. 158–9.
1679:Tourist attractions in the City of Sunderland
1239:
8:
329:. In 2004, the Canadian-American Architect
1246:
1232:
1224:
1160:
177:
159:
141:
111:
39:
20:
708:. Sunderland City Council. Archived from
682:. Sunderland City Council. Archived from
452:"Next step in road to iconic Wear bridge"
1413:Venerable Bede Church of England Academy
829:"Funding for new Wear crossing approved"
1383:St Robert of Newminster Catholic School
442:
386:
37:The Bridge shortly after opening.
554:Vaughan, Richard (12 September 2008).
396:The site of the Northern Spire in 2010
1138:"Timetable - Sunderland City Council"
1089:The architecture of Britain's Bridges
984:"Striking design for new Wear bridge"
893:Robertson, Ross (10 September 2009).
732:"Communities give their bridge views"
488:
486:
7:
1449:Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
1378:St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy
895:"'People's bridge'gets the go-ahead"
1694:Transport in the City of Sunderland
1550:Doxford International Business Park
959:"09/04661/LAP Planning Application"
855:"£133m iconic bridge a step closer"
450:Hoyland, Trevor (1 December 2008).
797:"Bridge will be England's tallest"
321:commissioned the engineering firm
14:
1494:Sunderland International Airshow
1489:St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth
1301:
518:James, Paul (20 November 2008).
425:
413:
401:
389:
31:
1699:Cable-stayed bridges in England
1333:Castle View Enterprise Academy
408:The spire being raised in 2017
210:
1:
1684:Bridges across the River Wear
1555:Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK
680:"A new bridge for Sunderland"
599:"A new bridge for Sunderland"
494:"Regeneration projects: SSTC"
1504:Monkwearmouth Station Museum
1343:Farringdon Community Academy
432:Looking up towards the spire
361:Roughan & O’Donovan and
1373:St Aidan's Catholic Academy
1720:
706:"New Wear Bridge Decision"
1509:Sunderland Aquatic Centre
1484:Sunderland Empire Theatre
1363:Oxclose Community Academy
1299:
936:. Sunderland City Council
420:Walking across the bridge
249:
30:
1689:Bridges in Tyne and Wear
1408:University of Sunderland
768:Metropolis International
570:Metropolis International
1658:Sunderland A.F.C. Women
1606:Sunderland Global Media
1464:Herrington Country Park
963:Sunderland City Council
603:Sunderland City Council
363:BuroHappold Engineering
339:Sunderland City Council
107:Sunderland City Council
1207:Queen Alexandra Bridge
1172:Next bridge downstream
309:Background and history
173:Queen Alexandra Bridge
1529:Northern Spire Bridge
1474:National Glass Centre
1388:Sandhill View Academy
1358:Monkwearmouth Academy
1192:Northern Spire Bridge
1142:www.sunderland.gov.uk
1117:www.worldhighways.com
633:www.worldhighways.com
259:is a bridge over the
257:Northern Spire Bridge
25:Northern Spire Bridge
1164:Next bridge upstream
1087:Yee, Ronald (2021).
867:. 3 September 2009.
770:. 26 November 2008.
1499:Washington Old Hall
1323:Argyle House School
1214: B1539
686:on 18 November 2009
609:on 18 November 2009
561:Architects' Journal
530:Newcastle upon Tyne
196:Cable-stayed bridge
69: /
1427:Places of interest
1418:Washington Academy
1398:Sunderland College
1293:Springwell Village
1283:Houghton-le-Spring
1255:City of Sunderland
809:. 3 September 2009
763:New Civil Engineer
659:Architects Journal
653:Vaughan, Richard.
315:urban regeneration
229:Construction start
73:54.9167°N 1.4244°W
1666:
1665:
1653:Sunderland A.F.C.
1403:Thornhill Academy
1393:Southmoor Academy
1368:Red House Academy
1222:
1221:
1218:
1203:
1189:
1185: A19
1098:978-1-78500-794-1
934:"New Wear Bridge"
712:on 4 January 2010
352:Highways Act 1980
253:
252:
90:OS grid reference
1711:
1632:Washington, D.C.
1601:Spark Sunderland
1459:Penshaw Monument
1454:Stadium of Light
1338:Christ's College
1305:
1248:
1241:
1234:
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1217:
1215:
1210:
1202:
1194:
1188:
1186:
1181:
1161:
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1128:
1127:
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1103:
1102:
1084:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1073:
1045:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1034:
1022:. 14 July 2014.
1006:
1000:
999:
997:
995:
980:
974:
973:
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969:
955:
946:
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702:
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676:
670:
669:
667:
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650:
644:
643:
641:
639:
625:
619:
618:
616:
614:
605:. Archived from
595:
589:
588:
586:
584:
551:
545:
544:
542:
540:
515:
509:
508:
506:
504:
490:
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476:
447:
429:
417:
405:
393:
237:Construction end
212:
182:
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164:
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146:
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138:
135:
133:
131:
129:
127:
116:
115:
98:
84:
83:
81:
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79:
78:54.9167; -1.4244
74:
70:
67:
66:
65:
62:
44:
43:
35:
21:
1719:
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1714:
1713:
1712:
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1708:
1669:
1668:
1667:
1662:
1641:
1610:
1591:Sunderland Echo
1579:
1538:
1534:Beacon of Light
1439:Donnison School
1422:
1328:Biddick Academy
1306:
1297:
1261:
1252:
1213:
1211:
1209:
1198:
1193:
1184:
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1131:
1121:
1119:
1111:
1110:
1106:
1099:
1086:
1085:
1081:
1071:
1069:
1054:Sunderland Echo
1047:
1046:
1042:
1032:
1030:
1015:Sunderland Echo
1008:
1007:
1003:
993:
991:
982:
981:
977:
967:
965:
957:
956:
949:
939:
937:
932:
931:
927:
917:
915:
900:Sunderland Echo
892:
891:
887:
877:
875:
860:Sunderland Echo
853:
852:
848:
838:
836:
827:
826:
822:
812:
810:
795:
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790:
780:
778:
756:
755:
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741:
739:
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704:
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689:
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663:
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610:
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553:
552:
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538:
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517:
516:
512:
502:
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491:
484:
474:
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457:Sunderland Echo
449:
448:
444:
440:
433:
430:
421:
418:
409:
406:
397:
394:
385:
311:
288:
187:Characteristics
176:
169:Next downstream
158:
140:
136:/Northern-Spire
124:
110:
94:
77:
75:
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68:
63:
60:
58:
56:
55:
45:
38:
26:
19:
12:
11:
5:
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1649:
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1618:
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1615:Twinned places
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1609:
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1526:
1521:
1519:WWT Washington
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1471:
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1400:
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1355:
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1348:Hetton Academy
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1314:
1312:
1308:
1307:
1300:
1298:
1296:
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1290:
1288:Hetton-le-Hole
1285:
1280:
1275:
1269:
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1263:
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1253:
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1250:
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1219:
1204:
1196:Grid reference
1190:
1178:Hylton Viaduct
1174:
1173:
1170:
1165:
1155:
1154:
1129:
1104:
1097:
1079:
1061:. 4 May 2014.
1059:Johnston Press
1040:
1020:Johnston Press
1001:
990:. 10 July 2009
975:
947:
925:
905:Johnston Press
885:
865:Johnston Press
846:
835:. 31 July 2008
833:Sunderland Arc
820:
788:
749:
738:. 10 July 2009
736:Sunderland Arc
723:
697:
671:
645:
620:
590:
546:
534:Trinity Mirror
510:
498:Sunderland Arc
482:
462:Johnston Press
441:
439:
436:
435:
434:
431:
424:
422:
419:
412:
410:
407:
400:
398:
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388:
384:
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319:Sunderland Arc
310:
307:
303:Sunderland Arc
287:
286:Specifications
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202:Piers in water
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155:Hylton Viaduct
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1627:Saint-Nazaire
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1623:
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1617:
1613:
1607:
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1602:
1599:
1597:
1594:
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1586:
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1571:
1570:The Galleries
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1376:
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1371:
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1361:
1359:
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1354:
1353:Kepier School
1351:
1349:
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1339:
1336:
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1286:
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1260:
1259:Tyne and Wear
1256:
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1235:
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1208:
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1005:
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989:
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948:
935:
929:
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861:
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344:One NorthEast
340:
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328:
324:
320:
316:
313:In 2003, the
308:
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299:
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285:
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269:Tyne and Wear
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151:Next upstream
149:
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