A new masterplan that will see Middlesbrough renovated has been agreed by the Middlesbrough Development Corporation.

The proposals include plans for 1,500 homes, 4,000 jobs, offices, green spaces and a new leisure venue that will attract international stars.

Transformation of buildings in the town centre and Middlehaven, including the former House of Fraser shop and the Crown pub, will ensure established buildings are brought back into use for a modern consumer.

The development corporation, or MDC, will receive a grant of £18million, with 44% of the grant designated for Gresham.

Through funding grants and private sector investments, the MDC will work to make the redevelopment plans a reality.

The areas proposed for redevelopment are Gresham, Middlehaven and St Hilda’s, Middlesbrough Town Centre and Station Quarter, seeing a complete overhaul of Middlesbrough through modernisation works.

Tees Valley Combined Authority major, Ben Houchen, chairs the MDC board, alongside Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke and Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen commented: “There’s one thing that unites everyone on this Board – and it’s that we all want to see Middlesbrough succeed, reach its potential and be the absolute best it can be.

“After months of tireless work in the background, plus consultations, discussion and planning, we’re now at a point where the talking can stop and the doing can begin. We’ve put in place a clear path for both Middlesbrough and Hartlepool which set out our priorities, our targets and how we’re going to get there.

“From recognising the fantastic assets we have on our doorstep – like Teesside University and our ever-growing digital cluster – to attracting new leisure opportunities and businesses, we’ll be able to go further, faster in making Middlesbrough better, safer and more attractive.”

The plans for Gresham will see new state-of-the-art residential and teaching facilities for Teesside University to utilise through a “vibrant campus environment”. Homes for professionals, student accommodation, a multi-storey car park, business spaces and leisure facilities will all support the university on a dedicated space in the heart of the town.

The town centre is also subject to modernisation works, with plans for a digitally connected, 24-hour mixed-use space. From tree plantings, safer pedestrian routes, a skills and employment hub, offices and apartments, the short-term projects for the town centre provide a promising vision for the area.

Additional projects, that are expected to take three to five years, will redevelop multiple properties in the town centre, including the former Debenhams and Dundas House.

In the masterplan, transport was also discussed, with a proposal for the bus station to be decentralised into a number of mobility hubs that can support electric or hydrogen vehicles.

The area around Middlesbrough Station, Station Quarter, is already undergoing regenration works, however the MDC plans would build on this current progress. The station is currently benefitting form £34million worth of investments from the Government, Network Rail and TVCA.

As part of the masterplan, the Auxiliary, will be expanded, with empty sites in the warehouse transformed to create an enhanced creative sector with new residential, commercial and cultural spaces that support small businesses.

A green space called Auxiliary Park will provide space for recreation and play for Middlesbrough residents.

Middlehaven and St Hilda’s has undergone multiple masterplan proposals over the years, in the hopes of redeveloping the area. The MDC’s plans state that Middlehaven is “the town’s greatest opportunity to craft an area of culture, education and leisure, with homes and community at the heart.”

If approved, the plans would see a complete redesign of the area as is, and would include an internationally recognised leisure venue situated between Middlesbrough College and the Riverside Stadium.

As Middlesbrough continues its redevelopment into a modern, accessible town with amenities, housing and education facilities, the MDC seeks to enhance these plans through their masterplan for the area, providing public and private funding to ensure developments are made in the progress of the town.