Middlesbrough looks to advance 3,400 homes with Capital&Centric

The council will decide next week whether to partner with the developer on the scheme in Middlehaven, which would see houses and apartments delivered in the area around the Old Town Hall and towards the waterfront, to cater to the town’s rapidly expanding young professional demographic.

The vision for Middlehaven is to take brownfield sites that have become a ‘visual burden’ in the town and separate them into three main areas that would form new neighbourhoods.

These will accommodate around 760, 1250, and 1,400 homes respectively.

Located within walking distance of Middlesbrough town centre, the scheme would also include public space, leisure and retail offerings.

Subject to approval, £3.6m of the council’s Towns Fund allocation from government would be used to allow C&C to develop develop designs for the scheme up to RIBA Stage 4, and to enable the procurement of a main contractor.

The investment of £3.6m is ‘significant’, says the council, but it notes that if the proposals are delivered it is only likely to be circa 1% of the gross development value of the project.

The report points to the ongoing investment in Middlesbrough Railway Station and Exchange Square being done to provide a new gateway for the area, which is fast becoming a tech-zone in its own right following the development of the 60,000 sq ft Boho Zone.

Focused on providing space for digital and tech-focused companies, including Microsoft and Sony, it has added to the rapid growth of this sector in the town, which is the fastest growing tech-cluster outside of London.

This, the report states, has led to a need for urban living options for young professionals, with the pace of development needing to match the speed at which the tech-cluster is growing.

The report will be discussed at a meeting of the Executive on November 12.

C&C has successfully worked in partnership Homes England, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and a number of Mayoral combined authorities to bring forward major regeneration projects throughout the UK.

Mayor of Middlesbrough, Chris Cooke said: “Middlehaven has such an important role to play in the future of Middlesbrough.

“I share the frustrations of many people that as a town we haven’t been able to properly tap into the area’s potential over a number of decades.

“But if we get this right it can be a catalyst for change and bring a new energy and character to our town centre. It’s really exciting for us.

“The opportunity is enormous and the report to Executive sets out how we would work with Capital&Centric to carefully bring forward a plan that could solve one of our biggest regeneration challenges.”

Cllr Theo Furness, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “Bringing new housing, leisure and retail opportunities on this scale to Middlehaven would be massive for Middlesbrough and complement the other successes in that area including Middlesbrough College, the Boho X development, and the upcoming Outwood Academy Riverside and redevelopment of our precious Old Town Hall.”

John Moffat, managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “There’s a massive opportunity to deliver something really special in Middlehaven.

“We would bring our track record of creating buzzing new neighbourhoods, defined by stand out architecture, homes designed for modern living and all the spaces in between that create a proper community.”