MIDDLESBROUGH’S container leisure hub is moving closer to completion, with the arrival of the shipping containers which will house the development.

STACK Middlesbrough is being created at the undercroft where the A66 flyover meets Exchange Square, which will be home to five street food outlets, three bars, a central plaza with seating and a stage for live entertainment.

And the scheme took one of its biggest steps forward today when the first of the 25 shipping containers were winched into place by construction company, The Abbey Group.

Work will now continue on the site with a view to it being open in early December.

STACK Middlesbrough is also creating 50 new jobs when fully open.

Neill Winch, CEO of STACK, said that he was delighted that STACK Middlesbrough was on schedule to be open before the end of the year.

“We are confident STACK will be a huge asset to Middlesbrough and add a positive and additional dimension to the local leisure scene,” he said.

“There was a lot of additional work and infrastructure to put in place which hadn’t been originally anticipated but we are grateful to the council and combined authority who have carried out the works to allow us to use this site.

Whilst there has been a delay we’re sure everyone will agree that it was worth the wait when we open,” he said.

STACK Middlesbrough will be the third development to open this year, following on from STACK Lincoln and St. James’ STACK in Newcastle.

STACK Newcastle at the city’s Worswick Chambers is due to open in 2025, with other schemes currently in development at Durham, Bishop Auckland, Whitley Bay, Carlisle, Northampton, Manchester, Leeds, Wigan and Sheffield.