WORK is well underway on a multi-million-pound office development which will turbo-charge a North East town's digital ambitions.

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston was on site to officially break ground on the Boho X project.

The 60,000 sq ft of Grade A office space will feature a gym, café, rooftop bar, event space and a lecture theatre.

Based ‘over the border' and close to the recently opened Boho 8 modular office space, Boho X will provide more top class facilities for the town's world-renowned digital and creative sector.

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Mayor Preston said: "Things are really starting to happen all over Middlesbrough.

"It's brilliant to see work starting on Boho X, which will be the best office space for literally 100 miles, with incredible facilities.

"Our digital and technology businesses are the future of our economy and this will be an amazing place for them to work.

"Along with our plans to revitalise the old town hall and build hundreds of new homes, we're transforming this part of central Middlesbrough to make it an incredible place to live and socialise as well."

Mr Preston was joined on site by Matt Naylor from construction contractor Galliford Try and Ono Odudu from developers BCEGI.

The project has been supported with £26.5m in funding from the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

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Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: "I'm delighted spades are now in the ground to make these plans a reality and further transform the Boho zone for our world-class tech and digital sectors.

"These industries are hugely important in driving the creation of good-quality, well-paid jobs in the region and Boho X will give them even more of a chance to grow, collaborate and innovate.

"The state-of-the-art building will also undoubtedly attract more cutting-edge firms to our area, driving more investment and proving to our young people that you don't need to go to Newcastle or Leeds for a great digital career."

Ono Odudu, technical director at BCEGI, said: "Getting a spade in the ground at Boho X, despite the challenges presented by Covid, is something we're incredibly proud of.

"Once complete and occupied, Boho X will play a pivotal role in attracting talent and creating opportunities for the local community in the heart of Middlesbrough. We're delighted to play a small part in this."

Matt Naylor, operations manager for Galliford Try, said: "We are delighted to be playing our part in the continued regeneration of Middlesbrough, as we get underway with this fantastic new Boho X project.

"We look forward to working with all the stakeholders involved to create a high-quality workspace that will help generate business growth in the area."

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