AWARD-winning games studio SockMonkey has relocated to Albert North to accommodate ambitious growth plans which will see them triple staff numbers by the end of 2021.

Albert Road, which has been transformed into Albert North has been through a period of significant regeneration, with many of the town's iconic buildings renovated to create a bustling commercial district and digital tech hub.

SockMonkey joins a host of other rapidly expanding tech companies who have already moved to the area including Mabo, Salesfire, Big Bite, Appamondo, LouTom Media and iConvert.

Founded in 2013, the video games development studio has landed prestigious contracts to work on console and PC titles around the globe, including US-based indie game developer and publisher tinyBuild and Outfit7, one of the fastest-growing multinational family entertainment companies in the world.

Acquiring 5,000 sq ft of office space on the fifth floor within the prestigious 16/26 building is another exciting step for the company. It follows an announcement in the summer that it had secured £250k investment from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, to enable them to fund Fish Tanks, its first original title that will launch next year.

Bob Makin, SockMonkey's CEO, said; "We've experienced tremendous growth recently and having almost doubled the team we had quickly outgrown our studio space in Boho Five. Keen to stay in Middlesbrough's digital cluster, we needed a new office that would accommodate our future growth plans.

"When we visited 16/26 at Albert North, we immediately loved the location and the large, modern open plan space.

"The big plus for us was Jomast had listened to the needs of the digital sector and already created a vibrant community that met all our requirements".