AN interactive map of how Middlesbrough could look following millions of pounds of investment has been published.

The town, and nearby Thornaby, were named as two of the 45 places set to get funding from the Government's Town Fund in Wednesday's budget.

Middlesbrough is being given £21.9m, while Thornaby is set to receive £23.9m.

The fund is part of the Government's levelling up agenda, which came under fire yesterday after it emerged that 40 of the 45 areas set to get the funding had a Conservative MP.

Defending accusations of "pork barrel politics", Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who visited Middlesbrough yesterday, said: "I think if you look at the map, one of the functions of the election is clearly that there are a lot of Conservative represented towns. I’ve asked about this and I’m told that the criteria was entirely objective – it takes in data on poverty, employment and so on.

“We want to unite and level-up across the whole country and want to do it in a completely impartial way, so that’s what we are doing.”

Middlesbrough Council has released a map of its planned developments, which includes its vision of thousands more homes and a revamped leisure offering, on the doorstep of a thriving digital sector.

It has £36m to spend, having already been awarded £14.1m from the Future High Streets Fund.

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston said: "A successful 21st century centre needs three activities on a big scale: living, working and leisure. So central Middlesbrough will do all of those in a big way and be very successful – watch this process start in the coming 12 months.

"I'm grateful to the Government for honouring their commitment to us and other places who successfully bid on the Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund. Nowhere will put this money to work better than us - we will create new jobs, new energy and a new spirit!

"The council has already bought Captain Cook Square and we now have the money to transform this key part of Middlesbrough town centre.

"We have plans for empty units in and around Captain Cook Square and the heart of the town centre. We are in detailed discussions with a cinema operator, bowling alley operator and are developing a really exciting concept focused on food and music.

"This is an idea that's proving a huge success in some of the bigger cities and we're learning from them with the idea of improving on it to drive hundreds of thousands of people into the centre of Middlesbrough for leisure.

"We've got the money, the ideas and the interest from investors and operators. It's a massive opportunity."

He added: "Middlesbrough is amazing and it also has challenges. We're facing those issues head on and building a really exciting future.

"We will not play second fiddle to places like Newcastle. Give us 10 years and we will take them on."

Thornaby's Town Deal Board says it plans to tackle vacant properties in the town centre to enable new development, provide support to enhance the delivery of skills training, new cycle and footpath infrastructure and seek opportunities to address areas of poor quality housing in North Thornaby.

Councillor Nigel Cooke, cabinet member for regeneration and housing at Stockton Borough Council, said: “I am pleased to confirm that we have received positive feedback from Government in securing £23.9million of funding to give Thornaby the facilities it needs to be able to thrive in the future.

“We are currently on a journey to make sure our six town centres are able to adapt to changing habits and Thornaby is no different. The funding will allow us to make significant changes to secure its long-term popularity in the future.

“These priorities, which we will address in our business case will help to form transformative projects that respond to the public consultation last year and the Town Deal Board will work hard to deliver the changes that the people of Thornaby want to see.”

Mark White, who is chairman of the town deal board and chair of Governors, Education Training Collective, said: “To receive such positive news in the current circumstances is confirmation that the application that the Town Deal Board put forward was the right one for Thornaby and I am pleased to see the hard work of all its members pay off.

“I look forward to working with the board’s wide range of members on a business case that provides long lasting benefits to key parts of the town and secures its future success.”

Thornaby is one of 100 towns across the country which was invited to develop proposals for a Town Deal in 2019 as part of the Government’s £3.5 billion Towns Fund.

To view what Middlesbrough has planned visit https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/