The fate of two regeneration bodies in Teesside will now likely be known in autumn.
Middlesbrough and Hartlepool’s development corporations are both under an in-depth review process, and it is currently unknown whether they will continue to operate into next year.
It was announced in March that assessments would be undertaken into two of the three development corporations (DCs) in Teesside – this applied to the two town centre bodies, with the industrial South Tees DC unaffected by the plans.
The two development corporations currently undergoing a review came into existence in 2023, and their potential abolition bucks the national trend, which is seeing an increasing number.
TVCA has confirmed that the DC review is now set to be complete by the end of September.
Following the review, Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen will decide whether to continue with the DCs, or to wind down and disband them.
It’s entirely possible that one of the development corporations continues to operate, while the other is scrapped.
Last month, a July expectation was set for the decision to be made on the future of the two organisations, which sit as part of the wider TVCA group.
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If one or both of the DCs are to be wound up, this would need to be done by the end of March 2027 – such a date serves as the deadline because it is the end of the financial year.
In a sit down interview, back in March, Mayor Houchen emphasised that what matters to him is the “outcomes” and so if there are better ways to achieve regeneration, “why would we continue with something that is going to be suboptimal?”
He spoke about having an “open mind” in the review, as the DCs might be “the right vehicle”.
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