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It ’ s time to turbocharge Middlesbrough ’ s progress
Partnership – Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston ( left ) and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen launch the Middlesbrough Development Corporation .
Mayors join forces to launch new vision for town centre
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen and Middlesbrough mayor Andy Preston unveiled a bold new vision for Middlesbrough town centre .
At a major event attended by dozens of key partners and business leaders , they laid out the plans for a Middlesbrough Development Corporation – the third of its kind in the region – which will aim to transform the town , make the streets safer and cleaner and go further and faster in capitalising on the £ 106m of investment being made there .
The body would focus on the town centre , Middlehaven and Zetland Historic Quarter and tie them together more closely , including crucial assets such as the Boho Zone , Middlesbrough station , the Northern School of Art , Centre Square , Teesside University and much more .
EDF Renewables UK and Hynamics , a subsidiary of EDF Group specialising in hydrogen , has announced plans to invest significantly in its Teesside operation , supporting local and national government aspirations to regenerate Tees Valley by investing in decarbonisation .
Tees Green Hydrogen will be a pioneering project , using the green electricity from nearby Teesside Offshore Wind Farm along with a new solar farm , which EDF Renewables UK intends to construct near Redcar , to power its hydrogen electrolyser .
The project will supply local business customers with hydrogen to support decarbonisation efforts and a significant reduction in industrial pollution .
The initiative was announced at Teesworks with British Steel Lackenby and PD Ports .
Arrangements have already been made to supply PD Ports with hydrogen to decarbonise port operations and maritime exploration will now be explored more
The Middlesbrough Development Corporation follows the success of the area ’ s first mayoral development corporation , Teesworks in Redcar , which is currently seeing hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in low-carbon and renewable schemes from some of the world ’ s biggest firms .
Middlesbrough Development Corporation would be overseen by a new board , slashing red tape to make investing even easier for businesses .
Mr Houchen said : “ We ’ ll be able to halt delays and drive the transformation people want to see much sooner than otherwise .
“ We ’ re doing it with Teesworks over in Redcar and plans are progressing to revamp Hartlepool too . Now it ’ s Middlesbrough ’ s time to shine .”
EDF ’ S TEES INVESTMENT
Tristan Zipfel , director of strategy and Analysis at EDF Renewables UK ( centre ), at the launch of Tees Green Hydrogen .
widely .
The development is the latest in a growing list of green initiatives proposed on Teesside .
Tristan Zipfel , director of strategy and analysis at EDF Renewables UK , said : “ We are looking forward to working with the local supply chain in delivering this project and , ultimately , in supporting Tees Valley in leading the way on green technology . We are proud to be part of accelerating the area to a net zero future .”
Amazing developments are already transforming central Middlesbrough – but the new Mayoral Development Corporation that I ’ m setting up with Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen will turbocharge that progress .
In Middlesbrough and everywhere , changes in people ’ s shopping and other habits are causing economic shock-waves that threaten jobs and , in some cases , the survival of town and city centres . There ’ s no single solution to the massive challenges ahead , but in Middlesbrough , we ’ re already doing a lot and we feel confident about the future .
Working with private investors , Middlesbrough is creating the best leisure venues for miles that will bring visitors from 10 , 20 and 30 miles around . Facilities such as our new e-sports arena , indoor karting and a myriad of up-to-the-minute food and beverage offerings will make central Middlesbrough stand out .
As well as visitors , we also need more people living and working in the heart of the town , so we ’ re building all kinds of beautiful new homes . For the first time in 40 years , the centre of town is being repopulated . This great work is being done in partnership with private developers .
Of all the great things happening in central Middlesbrough , the best is also the most surprising : demand for office space is booming ! Despite the impact of Covid , new office buildings in the heart of town are all fully let with more development underway . New businesses are giving us the strongest vote of confidence by moving into town .
This progress is impressive and exciting . But I want more great things to happen even faster – we need to turbocharge what we ’ re doing .
That is why we are setting up Middlesbrough Development Corporation to help us win huge amounts of investment while cutting through old-fashioned red tape and bureaucracy .
The opportunity in Middlesbrough is immense and I ’ m looking forward to working even closer with Ben Houchen , who ’ ll lead the development corporation .
More great things will happen in Middlesbrough – and with the new mayoral development corporation , it will happen bigger , better and faster . Andy Preston Middlesbrough mayor
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