A crossing had been proposed as early as 2005, however financial uncertainties caused significant delay until funding was approved by HM Treasury.

[6] In 2003, the urban regeneration company, Sunderland Arc commissioned the engineering firm Arup to assist with finding a suitable location for the siting of a new road bridge over the River Wear.

[17] 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.

[20] Roughan & O’Donovan and BuroHappold Engineering delivered the preliminary and detailed design of the bridge with Yee Associates as architectural consultants.

[21] Between 10 and 11 February 2017, the central A-frame pylon (fabricated in Ghent, Belgium by Victor Buyck Steel Construction)[22][23] was installed which stands at a height of 105 m (344 ft), making it the tallest structure in Sunderland.

The raising of the single bridge pylon marked the culmination of two years of design and planning, as well as twelve months of fabricating.