Teesside Airport's new managing director predicted a bright future last night for the proposed freight development, which will bring thousands of jobs to the area.

Former managing director at Glasgow Prestwick, Hugh Lang spoke of his desires for a freight and passenger service for Teesside, and to see the new South Side development start.

"In five years time, I hope to see Teesside Airport with a sustainable air freight business, and I see no reason why the South Side development cannot go ahead," he said.

Plans were unveiled last year for the development on 250 acres to the south of the airport runway.

The air freight terminal is expected to be the second largest in the UK, but after years in the planning, work has yet to begin.

Mr Lang, 44, will be seeking a meeting with developer Moorfield when he takes up his post in December.

At Prestwick, Mr Lang oversaw development, turning the airport into the third largest centre for freight transport in Britain, behind Heathrow and Stansted.

Estimates put the number of extra jobs created in the community surrounding Prestwick at about 3,500, and local authority shareholders will be hoping for a similar return in the Tees Valley.

The £340m Teesside scheme was given the go-ahead more than a year ago, but it halted while an agreement between the airport authority and Moorfield was renegotiated.

Airport chiefs stress that the agreement, setting out a blueprint for the scheme, will be in place by the end of the year, and once signed it is understood that Moorfield will buy the land from the airport authority.