A £30M new snow centre is due to open by September 2019, developers said today.

The ski and snowboard centre, which will stand near the Riverside Stadium at Middlehaven, Middlesbrough, recently received unanimous backing by councillors.

And developers Cool Runnings (NE), said they are predicting millions of new visitors to the area and hundreds of jobs.

Director Rachael Howson is claiming the centre could attract 2.25m visitors a year, and 350 jobs, to the area.

The snow centre’s place within Middlesbrough’s wider regeneration has been welcomed across the town with Cool Runnings itself pointing to “massive spin-off benefits”.

Middlesbrough College Principal Zoe Lewis said: “Middlesbrough College is very excited about this development and the huge possibilities it affords Middlehaven and the wider Tees Valley.

"We have worked closely with the developers to maximise the benefits of the site and the co-location next to the College and its 15,000 students and 1000 staff.

"I know our students are extremely excited for it to open."

Damon Roberts, General Manager of Middlesbrough’s Jurys Inn, said the centre should bring "much needed" leisure business from outside the region.

He added "We would expect some of those would want to stay overnight. It also helps Middlehaven and keeps that moving forward.”

The Ice Factor Group, which runs two snow centres in Scotland, is in talks to operate the Middlehaven facility.

Jamie Smith, the mountaineer and entrepreneur who opened Ice Factor Kinlochleven in 2003 and acquired Snow Factor Braehead in 2011, said it would benefit from the experience he had operating those centres.

He said: “A decade ago, skiing and snowboarding indoors on real snow was possibly perceived by many as a gimmick.

“Now year round, we are giving tens of thousands of people the opportunity to enjoy the thrill and fun of snow-sports and we now look forward to delivering similar success in England.”