ADVERTORIAL FEATURE
After – Teesworks Limited has secured planning permissions totalling 14.5m sq ft across 1,500 acres .
AFTER
Remediation requires detailed processes to be set up and implemented , including understanding and investigating land conditions , securing required permits , material management plans , material handling strategies and agreements with approved contractors to provide all necessary warranties . This is a lengthy and timeconsuming process .
Freeport establishment The private-sector partners worked closely in supporting the business case for Teesworks to become a freeport , outlining what investors would want and how they would want it .
Teesworks was granted freeport status in 2021 , meaning it can offer a series of tax and customs incentives to businesses looking to locate onsite . It is the UK ’ s first and largest operational freeport .
Masterplanning The original masterplan for Teesworks was overhauled . The new plan cut costs considerably , established service corridors to enable better connectivity and utilities access and created different zones across the site based on market demand .
The new masterplan also has in-built flexibilities , enabling Teesworks to respond to individual occupiers ’ demands and the make-up and nature of the land .
Resource and team A team of director-level experts , employed by the private sector partners , have been on site since 2020 , underpinned by worldclass consultants and specialists in areas such as offshore wind and renewable energy .
Clearly defined management structures were brought in to ensure optimum project delivery and to accelerate the pace of progress .
Legal structures and procurement Decades of steelmaking , chemical manufacturing and other industrial operations on the Teesworks site left a legacy of hazards and the site was rated Tier 1 ( the highest tier ) in the COMAH ( Control of Major Accident Hazards ) regulations . This meant that , even lying vacant , the site cost the government £ 20m a year to keep it safe .
The COMAH status was removed in 2023 , five years ahead of plan .
A lot of work was put into clearing up legal issues around the site , including renegotiating many agreements on rights of way and easements .
This process included dealings with PD Ports concerning access rights , with the high court confirming no rights existed on land earmarked for development on the Teesworks estate .
Estate management The Teesworks site previously had a fragmented ownership structure and the maintenance regime for the site was non-existent . A full maintenance team and service charge structure has now been established , meaning all occupiers contribute to the ongoing maintenance of the estate in perpetuity so as to ensure a consistent and sustainable long-term maintenance and repair structure is in place .
Quay construction & operation Constructing a heavy lift quay at South Bank was crucial for Teesworks to be home to offshore renewable energy companies , ensuring components can be imported / exported to wind farms in the North Sea and beyond .
After detailed planning and design , the first 450-metre phase of the South Bank Heavy Lift Quay was completed in April with the quay set to be operational from this summer . The private partners are responsible for paying back the cost of construction , plus finance costs . Planning permission has been secured for phase 2 of the quay .
Planning permissions When the Teesworks site was acquired , no planning permission existed for development anywhere onsite .
Since then , Teesworks Limited has secured planning permissions totalling 14.5m sq ft across 1,500 acres , working closely with Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council .
With outline planning permission in place , investors can come to the site and bring forward their proposals knowing that the principle of development has been established .
DECEMBER 2023
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