An extra £13.9m boost for the Teesside economy means the area “can look to the future with confidence”, believes one local MP.
The Tees Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has agreed to an expansion to its Growth Deal with the Government which will see the extra cash invested in Teesside between 2016 and 2021.
This comes after £90.3m funding was committed by the Government in July last year.
The partnership estimates over the next six years, up to 5,000 new jobs could be created, safeguarded or enabled, 1,500 new homes built and that it also has the potential to generate £150m public and private investment.
James Wharton, Conservative MP for Stockton South, said it was “Yet another big investment in Teesside’s economy”.
“This money will improve our infrastructure and enhance skills training, meaning we can look with confidence to the future,” he said.
In the last five years steel making has returned, the contract to bring train making to our doorstep with Hitachi at Aycliffe has been signed and over £300m from Government has come directly into our local economy.
“We used to be the poor relation when Newcastle ran all regional development, now we are leading the way in the North-east. We need to continue to deliver this long term plan for our economy and stay on the road to recovery, today’s announcement will help us to do that.”
Alex Cunningham, Labour MP for Stockton North, said any additional investment for the area “is very welcome – even if it is spread over several years to come.”
“We have seen a tremendous fall in investment in our area over the term of the outgoing Government and we need every penny to develop skills and create jobs in the Tees Valley where unemployment remains way above the national average as we have seen resources moved from the north of the country to the south.
“What we need is action to reverse that decline including a commitment to support the local carbon capture project which could drive the way to countless jobs and utilise the skills and expertise of the people in our area.”
Lib Dem MP for Redcar Ian Swales added: “I am delighted that the Government is pumping yet more money into the Tees Valley. The projects are much needed and will further enhance the infrastructure, skills and business opportunities throughout our area.”
This expanded deal will complement the projects already prioritised including road schemes in Stockton and Middlesbrough, innovation schemes in Middlesbrough and skills projects in Redcar and Cleveland.
Projects include road widening and improvements at the A689 Wynyard/A19 junction; upgrading existing facilities at Cleveland College of Art and Design including a new building for creative industries; specialist accommodation for an Oil and Gas Academy at Redcar and Cleveland College; road and junction improvements at Ingleby Barwick to support new housing and work to the A66/Teesside Park interchange.
The LEP chairman Sandy Anderson said the extra cash “will enable Tees Valley Unlimited, its partners and stakeholders to initiate additional projects to help deliver more prosperity to the area”.
Linda Edworthy, director of strategy and investment at TVU, said: “Each LGF project is about helping the area increase its ability to create employment and greater economic prosperity for Tees Valley. For example, all the road improvement schemes are linked to jobs. In South Bank Wharf’s case, it will involve the construction of roundabouts and connecting the Wharf, which is part of our Enterprise Zone, with the main highway. This will open up the site and make it viable for commercial development and, thus generate employment opportunities.”
Louise Baldock, Labour parliamentary candidate for Stockton South, also welcomed the news, saying: “I am passionate about Teesside being able to develop and strengthen our own economy. Nobody in Whitehall knows better than us what is needed here. I would like to see more direct investment in Stockton but improving skills and creating jobs anywhere on Teesside is hugely welcome. A victory for partnership working.”
What proposed projects will this new tranche of funding deliver?
• Tees Valley Skills programme – a programme of funding to provide support to develop skills in key growth sectors.
• Teesside Advanced Manufacturing Park phase 2 Technology and Research Centre – creation of flexible research and development space for SMEs. This will reduce the cost of and barriers to entry into research and increase the volume of research undertaken.
• South Bank Wharf – construction of a roundabout to connect the main highway to South Bank Wharf and open up access to the site which offers commercial potential for oil and gas rig decommissioning.
• Skelton Industrial Estate - provision of an access road and utilities to develop the estate onto an adjacent site. This is the primary commercial location in East Cleveland.
• Billingham Bio Pharmaceutical Campus – site clearance, road works and site remediation to enable the expansion of a major Biotechnology facility.
• Kirkleatham Business Park - purchase of land at Kirkleatham and servicing of the site with a spur road. This will be followed by the creation of a series of plots to be developed by companies to meet demand for business accommodation.
• Hartlepool Innovation Skills Quarter – the project will deliver small scale, high quality workspace and studios, incubator space and business support for creative industries.
This adds to the projects that were announced in July 2014, including:
• A689 Wynyard road improvements- signalisation and road widening to complement the Highways Agency Pinch Point scheme on the A19 junction.
• Materials Processing Institute – creation of an open access technology centre.
• Teesside Advanced Manufacturing Park (TAMP) Offshore Wind Validation Centre – to provide research and validation services for offshore wind tower manufacturers as well as for the oil and gas and sub-sea sectors.
• Cleveland College of Art and Design – upgrading existing facilities including construction of a new building for creative industries.
• Redcar and Cleveland College – to provide specialist accommodation for an Oil and Gas Academy and provide specialist teaching and support accommodation for a number of skills initiatives.
• Tees Valley Business Growth Hub – the capital funding element of a programme to provide a range of coordinated funding and advice services to business.
• Durham Tees Valley Airport – new road to open up access to the south side of the airport for aviation-related activities.
• Ingleby Way/Myton Way – road and junction improvements at Ingleby Barwick to support new housing.
• A66/ Teesside Park Interchange – remedial work to deal with differential settlement which creates level changes in the main carriageway
• Sustainable Transport, Access to Employment – a package of transport measures that will enhance accessibility to employment and essential services
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