The Port of Tyne has got the go-ahead to create just over 13 acres of operational land by infilling Tyne Dock using the dredged material from the New Tyne Crossing project.
As a result, Tyne Dock has closed after 150 years. The dock was opened in 1859 after being dug out by hand to provide enough berths for 500 vessels. George Stephenson, the son of the railway pioneer, made the dock gates and William Armstrong made the engines to open the gates which were still in use until about 20 years ago.
The project makes use of the spoil from the construction of a second Tyne tunnel. Following approval from Natural England, the Marine & Fisheries Agency and the Environment Agency, permission has been given to pump spoil direct from the trench that is to be dredged for the new tunnel, into Tyne Dock, as part of a carefully engineered design solution.
It is expected to save 4,600 lorry movements transporting material to landfill.
