Teesside has been awarded a £15m grant to fund a major regeneration project in the heart of Middlesbrough.

The huge fund from the Department for Levelling Up to the Tees Valley Combined Authority will direct £8m to the regeneration of Gresham, in the town centre.

Plans include a ‘striking’ complex of apartments, townhouses, food and drink outlets and a business incubator supporting emerging firms.

Read more: Two people in court in connection with the death of County Durham toddler

Talks are also ongoing to include a leisure facility for the town and Teesside University.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “This money will offer a big boost to our game changing projects in Middlesbrough and at our airport.

“Gresham has been in dire need of investment for a long time – and it’s good to see Andy Preston and Thirteen working together to fix years of decline. 

“Our new Development Corporation will offer the means to get this new project, and a vast range of others, up and running in the town. It will also offer a boost to other work already underway.

“We’re in positive discussions with Teesside University – and the wider hope is this can breathe new life into a part of Middlesbrough where positive change has been sorely needed for generations.”

A further £7m will be spent on a new hangar and infrastructure at Teesside Airport.

Mr Houchen continued: “An extra £7million for a hangar at Teesside Airport is another big win which will allow the airport to bring in new investment and supercharge our Freeport vision.

“We’re working around the clock to bring good-well paid jobs and more opportunities to the people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, and this money will take us another step closer to realising our ambitions.”

To get more stories direct to your email basket go here 

The Council’s partnership with Thirteen Group will see 145 homes built in the £20m Union Village, with diggers on site now.

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston added: “This brilliant news of extra cash will help us crack on and get the job of fixing Gresham done faster.

“We’ve been working flat out to improve Gresham since my election in 2019.

“In the past, houses were knocked down and communities were destroyed. The area was shockingly left behind.

“Now we’re working alongside Thirteen to build a new and exciting future.

“At the same time, we’ve invested in CCTV and helped police shut down problem houses and drive troublemakers away. Crime is now falling, and we won’t stop fighting for decent people.

“Speeding up our work in Gresham can be an early success story for the new Development Corporation.”

Read next:

If you want to read more great stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here