THE region was last night urged to get behind an economic vision that could see investment from the Middle East transform the Tees Valley.

Following a visit by representatives of Dubai-based Emaar Properties to the region, Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallon said the success of development plans could depend on the level of support they received.

He also hinted that a regional assembly could be a factor in any investment.

Mr Mallon, who invited the company to visit the region following his own fact-finding mission to the United Arab Emirates, was present at a meeting between head of Emaar His Excellency Mohamed Ali Alabbar and Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday night.

Mr Mallon said: "There will be some people that will want us to fail with this but you get people like that in life.

"We need to get away from what I call parochialism and petty politics and start thinking big and being ambitious.

"This region has in the past not punched its weight and has lagged behind the South, and the only way to change that is for everybody to work together and pull in the same direction. Maybe regional government might be one way forward to achieve that."

Mr Mallon dismissed suggestions that Emaar's interest could prove to be a mirage.

He said: "If nothing happens, there will be no egg on my face because I will have done every single thing I can to make it happen."

Emaar specialises in hotel and leisure developments and has assets of $7bn.

It looked at a number of sites, including Middlehaven, in Middlesbrough, Darlington's Haughton Road development and Victoria Harbour, in Hartlepool.

On Wednesday, councils from across the Tees Valley met representatives from Emaar to discuss possible developments.

Hartlepool Borough Council, Stockton Borough Council, Middlesbrough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council attended a briefing with Mr Mallon and the Emaar delegation.

Darlington Borough Council was not present.