First look at Capital&Centric’s Middlehaven vision 

The developer is working with Middlesbrough Council alongside architects MVRDV and shedkm to deliver a 2,000-home neighbourhood on brownfield sites surrounding the Old Town Hall.

The first phase is currently progressing through early design stages, backed by £3.6m of the council’s Towns Fund allocation from government.

The wider masterplan appears to have been reduced from the initially reported figure of 3,400 homes down to 2,000, alongside established schools, colleges, major sporting facilities, growing tech businesses, independent hospitality and green space into a connected waterfront neighbourhood.

Capital&Centric was named as the council’s development partner on the project in November last year, and initial plans include single family housing and BTR apartments, a mix of amenities, and private courtyards clustered around the Old Town Hall, which is currently undergoing its own £6.3m restoration project spearheaded by Group Ginger. 

Contractor Walter Thompson will redevelop the landmark grade two-listed building into office space within the town’s Boho Zone, with the space designed for digital start-ups, complementing the town’s tech-driven reputation, which includes the 60,000 sq ft Boho X workspace developed with £21m in backing from the Tees Valley Combined Authority and fully occupied by games developer Double Eleven.

John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “Middlehaven is one of the most exciting regeneration opportunities in the UK right now because all of the key ingredients needed to create a buzzing new neighbourhood are already here.

“Working alongside our experienced, imaginative design team, this is a chance to bring a new kind of neighbourhood to Middlesbrough that feels ambitious, creative and full of energy, while also delivering over 2,000 new homes to Middlehaven.”

Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke said: “It’s exciting to see the first imagery of how we’ll transform Middlehaven and make it thrive
for the benefit of everyone in Middlesbrough.

“To see our Old Town Hall at the centre of the plans is wonderful.

“Capital & Centric agree with me that this area has so much potential. We’re working hard to get the blend right so it’s an area that respects its history and looks forward with confidence to the future.”