A COUNCIL has denied it is holding up plans by Teesside Airport to join forces with a private partner.

The airport revealed in June that it was aiming to branch out into the private sector in a bid to encourage investment and help its long-term development.

Four of the five shareholder authorities - Durham County Council, Hartlepool, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton borough councils - are understood to have agreed to the plan.

But the fifth, Middlesbrough Council, requested more information. Its representatives were meeting airport managing director Hugh Lang yesterday.

Council spokesman Mike Clark said: "There is no delay at this end. There is a decision to be made which will be made expeditiously.

"We had a very useful and constructive meeting with Mr Lang who had been invited to come along and talk to us about the proposals.

"A report will now be prepared with a decision to follow swiftly."

Once agreement is reached, the airport hopes to begin the process of advertising and inviting proposals from the private sector.

The move could see the stakeholder authorities giving up some of their shares in the airport.

But airport boss Mr Lang has denied that Teesside will, in effect, be sold to a private bidder.

Increasingly, a number of regional airports are turning towards public private partnerships as a way of bringing in new investment.

Last year, Newcastle Airport announced a £200m partnership deal with Denmark's Copenhagen Airport.