BUSINESS BITES
Teesside crowned Modern University of the Year
BUSINESS BITES
NEWS
COMMUTER BOOST Two cutting-edge digital projects costing £ 2m are driving major improvements in our region’ s transport network – with early results showing one system already slashing journey times.
The AI-powered Yutraffic FUSION Next Generation Adaptive Control system, developed in the UK, is now up and running across 40 % of the region’ s target sites – using real-time data to adjust traffic light timings and improve traffic flows.
Early results from the busy A66 / A135 junction in Stockton shows there has been a reduction of almost a third in average daily delays – with waits slashed by more than half( 54 %) during afternoon rush hour.
Matthew Ord – interim chair of the Tees Valley Business Board.
Trio of Tees towns rated best to run successful business
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national study has ranked two of the Tees region’ s towns among the UK’ s 10 best places to run a successful business – with another narrowly missing the top 10.
The study by Shootday to determine the places where entrepreneurs have the best shot at long-term success saw Darlington placed seventh, narrowly ahead of ninthranked Middlesbrough, while Stockton-on- Tees also fared well in 14th position in the national listing.
The study examined data from the Office for National Statistics, focusing on 50 cities and towns across the country and considering business birth rates, death rates and five-year survival rates.
Matthew Ord, interim chair of the Tees Valley Business Board, said:“ Middlesbrough, Darlington and Stockton’ s place in the UK’ s top 15 towns for business success is fantastic recognition of the
Teesside crowned Modern University of the Year
Teesside University has been crowned as the best modern university in the country in a major national award that highlights the transformative impact of its learning and teaching, setting a new benchmark for modern universities across the country.
The Daily Mail Modern University of the Year 2026 award recognises and celebrates the many achievements Teesside University has made to provide an outstanding learning and teaching experience for its students, while also delivering on its core mission to transform lives and economies.
Professor Paul Croney OBE, vicechancellor and chief executive, said:“ At drive, innovation and resilience of our local businesses and leaders.
“ These achievements showcase the huge potential of the Tees Valley. We’ ve made great strides, and with continued focus and collaboration, even greater successes lie ahead.”
Darlington, which ranked seventh in the UK overall with a score of 69.99, boasts a 94 % survival rate( joint fourth), with Middlesbrough ranking ninth, scoring 69.18 and with a 93.8 % business survival rate.
In 14th place in the study was Stockton, with a score of 65.32, thanks to 745 business births and a business survival rate of 93 %.
Lincoln claimed the crown as the best place in the UK to run a successful business in 2025. The rest of the top 10 was completed by Blackburn, Solihull, Basildon, Chelmsford, Salford, York and Bury.
Paul Croney OBE – Teesside University vicechancellor and chief executive.
Teesside University we are uncompromising in our pursuit of excellence, and we are delighted that this highly prestigious award is further acknowledgement of our success and commitment to our students and partners.”
100-PLUS TEESWORKS JOBS More than 100 jobs will be created under plans to build a service centre for workers and visitors to the giant Teesworks development site, near Redcar.
Teesworks has lodged a planning application with Redcar and Cleveland Council for permission to build a hotel, family pub, restaurant and drive-throughs as part of a complex, which also includes a petrol filling station, service units and associated car parking.
The development – planned for around 4.3 hectares of brownfield land north of the A1053 / Trunk Road roundabout and south of the former Lackenby steelworks in the south-west corner of the 2,500-acre Teesworks site – has now been granted outline planning permission by the local authority’ s regulatory committee.
DATA DEVELOPMENT The government is set to unveil a huge artificial intelligence data centre at Teesworks.
Ministers have reportedly selected the former steel site as the location for its second so-called AI Growth Zone, with plans to build the largest data centre in Europe.
A planning application for a data centre project of nearly 500,000 sq m was submitted in the summer by Teesworks, the public-private partnership that is developing the site.
GISBOROUGH HALL SPA Planning permission has been granted for a new spa at Gisborough Hall.
The new Sakura Spa is set to open in spring 2026 and will offer guests a peaceful retreat where wellbeing is shaped by the healing power of nature and the quiet beauty of simplicity.
Bosses say the investment shows their commitment to the four-star luxury hotel and the potential of the venue.
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