BUILDING WHAT COMES NEXT
TEES VALLEY
that will bring high-quality town-centre living. A proposed 45,000-sq ft STEM centre will provide advanced learning facilities, supporting educational attainment, productivity and workforce development in modern industry and advanced manufacturing.
Additional housing growth, including new garden villages and expansion of the West End housing offer, will help ensure affordability for young professionals and families while supporting inward migration.
Together, these projects will strengthen Darlington’ s role as a gateway for investment into Tees Valley. Combining excellent rail connectivity, highquality commercial space, residential development and a growing science and innovation ecosystem creates a platform for growth in business services, life sciences and bio-manufacturing.
REGIONAL CARE AND HEALTH INNOVATION Stockton-on-Tees occupies a unique position at the centre of Tees Valley, connecting directly with neighbouring boroughs and many of the region’ s strategic assets. Its central location means investment here delivers benefits well beyond its boundaries.
The Waterfront Park development is reconnecting Stockton town centre with the River Tees, while work is also focused on improving links to north Thornaby and Middlesbrough. This vision will be supported by Tees Central, one of the UK’ s largest brownfield regeneration opportunities.
The 70-hectare Tees Marshalling Yards site will become a major new community with 3,000 homes and one million square feet of employment and commercial space, strengthening connections between Stockton and Middlesbrough.
At the heart of this proposal is the Tees Valley Care and Health Innovation Zone, a nationally significant cluster spanning 110 hectares. The development will bring together health and care services, innovation facilities, research activity and new housing. It will support better health outcomes, tackle inequalities and create an environment where healthcare innovation can thrive.
The zone will build on existing strengths, including the specialist services provided by James Cook University Hospital and the region’ s growing role in healthcare delivery and digital innovation. The establishment of a new NHS 111 Contact Centre further demonstrates the sector’ s growth potential.
Plans to support a Teesside University Medical School, alongside expanded further education provision and targeted skills programmes, will help establish Stockton and Middlesbrough as centres of excellence in medical education, research and healthcare delivery.
The benefits will also extend into the wider life sciences and biotechnology sectors. Businesses such as Fujifilm Biotechnologies, the Wilton Centre and Darlington Science Park will be able to draw on a stronger research, innovation and skills ecosystem, reinforcing Tees Valley’ s position in advanced healthcare and bio-manufacturing.
DIGITAL CORE Middlesbrough sits at the heart of Tees Valley’ s digital future. While its role as a major port and logistics centre remains vital, the town is increasingly becoming a focal point for digital innovation, technology and creative industries.
Middlesbrough’ s digital sector is one of the fastest-growing outside London. Backed by Teesside University, the £ 160m Tees Valley Investment Zone is supercharging growth.
Digitalisation will support industrial innovation in Stockton, while emerging technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality and immersive media
45