A FIRM of Tees Valley architects has been chosen to design the marketing suite for Middlesbrough's flagship £500m Middlehaven development.

The announcement is the latest stage in the £200m transformation of the site, which will see the creation of the UK's most environmentally-friendly mixed-use project.

Architects from across the region were invited to submit designs for the suite, and Stokesley-based DKS Architects was chosen as the preferred scheme with its design for a futuristic group of linked cube-shaped buildings.

DKS is working to ensure the planning, building regulations and procurement processes all meet approval and that work on the £250,000 site begins at the end of the summer.

Mark Barlow, partner in DKS, said: "This was a great opportunity for all of the invited practices to demonstrate that there is a wealth of design talent located in the North-East.

"We are thrilled that we have been selected to develop the design for this iconic building on the basis of the ideas we put forward in the competition."

Joe Docherty, chief executive of Tees Valley Regeneration, said: "Our vision of a world-class development at Middlehaven is taking shape, and the detailed images of the first two cubes have shown just how ambitious those plans are. The marketing suite will give people a further insight into what life will be like at Middlehaven, and I'm delighted a local firm should be the one chosen to realise that vision."