PLANS for the regeneration of a former steelworks site have taken a step forward after an application for more than 780 acres of land was put forward.

Proposals for more than nine million sq ft of business and industrial space, the region’s biggest ever planning application, have been submitted for the former SSI site in Redcar – now known as Teesworks – across an area of land as large as the City of London.

If the plans come to fruition, it is hoped they will create up to 11,400 jobs in Teesside.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “This is another major milestone for the former Redcar Steelworks site just days before Christmas.

“Only months after securing the land, and with all the difficulties that the coronavirus pandemic has thrown up this year, we now have plans in place for every developable part of Teesworks.

“The latest plans for nine million sq ft of business and industrial space, the region’s biggest ever planning application, could house the grounds of every single EFL and Premier League football team in the UK – and is equivalent to 2.5 times the size of Middlesbrough’s Stewart Park.”

The application comes two weeks after planning permission was granted for a 4.5million sq ft of manufacturing site for offshore wind production at South Bank Quay, which is also part of the Teesworks site, creating up to 9,000 jobs.

The application for outline planning permission has been submitted for five different zones on the site – Dorman Point, Lackenby, The Foundry, Long Acres and Steel House.

Dorman Point is lined up to accommodate the proposed Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility, an initial £300million capital investment creating more than 300 jobs during construction, which is expected to begin next year.

The Foundry is a 530-acre site earmarked for Net Zero Teesside and is home to industrial assets planned for demolition, like the Redcar Coke Ovens.

The plans submitted for Steel House zone include additional office space on the land surrounding the iconic structure with further details set to be revealed in the new year.

At Lackenby, 92,000sq ft of industrial space will be developed following the demolition and clearing of the BOS plant.

A decision on the proposed demolition of the site’s blast furnace and coke ovens is expected in the New Year.

The South Tees Development Corporation (STDC) brought the site back into public ownership this year, following a compulsory purchase order.

It has plans to regenerate the site, creating 20,000 jobs in 25 years.

Mr Houchen said the application meant it was "well on track" to meet that target.

He said: "My plan for jobs is to create good quality well paid jobs for when we recover from the pandemic. The 11,000 jobs that these plans will create means that we are well on target to reach our 20,000 target way sooner than I ever envisaged.

“All of this wouldn’t be possible without the fantastic work that local people and local businesses have done on site this year, getting the land ready for redevelopment. We’ve created 557 jobs for local people on Teesworks in the last few months, from former steelworkers to apprentices, who have all worked incredibly hard whilst earning good money for themselves and their families.

“Of course, this is a long-term project, and there is lots of work to do, but I am blown away by the progress we’ve made this year. Many people thought it wouldn’t be possible and what we were promising couldn’t be achieved, but we are turning Teesworks into a site that former steelworkers and people in Redcar and across Teesside can be proud of again."

The individual planning applications that make up the milestone include:

• Dorman Point – 143 acres of land, 140,000sq ft of industrial and business floorspace

• Lackenby – 96 acres, 92,000sq ft of industrial and business floorspace

• The Foundry – 326 acres, 465,000sq ft of industrial and business floorspace

• Long Acres – 166 acres, 185,000sq ft of industrial and business floorspace

• Steel House – 59 acres, 16,000sq ft office accommodation