Partner Article

Business park 'needs clear future'

The company behind a planned £110m business park which could create 2,000 jobs now needs a replacement backer for it to succeed.

It was revealed last week that Tees Valley Regeneration (TVR) will be wound up in a year’s time under Government reforms.

The urban regeneration company is a partner in the Skylink International Business Park development at Durham Tees Valley Airport, led by airport owner Peel Holdings.

Roger Wheeldon, from Peel Holdings, stressed that TVR had not contributed financially, but helped in discussions with agencies and the five Tees Valley councils with an interest in the airport.

He said: “Their help has been invaluable and, having said that, I hope there is something that follows on of a similar ilk.”

It is expected that TVR’s work, which includes four other major development projects in the region, will be taken over by councils, development agency One North East and the Homes and Community Agency, formerly English Partnerships.

The Skylink plans - centred on 250 acres of brownfield land to the south of the airport runway - are only in the preparatory and design stage. Tees Valley Regeneration have stated that they have not pulled out of the project, and that Skylink project director Martin Wilkes will still head up the scheme.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .