The project will create thousands of skilled, well-paid jobs.
Plans for such a development had been proposed for years but following the deal to take the airport in to public ownership by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, these proposals are finally coming to fruition.
The original deal to buy the airport and save it from closure included 817 acres of developable land, giving the airport huge opportunities to drive inward investment across the whole site. The Southside land, comprising 270 acres and running parallel to the runway, is the largest area primed for development.
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The new business park is expected to create up to 4,400 jobs when fully operational, made up of 1.9million sq ft of logistics, distribution, and industrial buildings, with direct access from the A67.
The first phase will see the creation of four new units along a through road, with the ability to split them into as many as ten smaller units, covering 130,000sq ft. Subsequent phases would see plots of between one to 200 acres developed as more businesses look to base themselves at the airport.
The new 1.5km A67 link road, running direct to the southside area will lead to the creation of a new roundabout close to Wilkinson’s Plant Centre.
Construction on the scheme should begin within weeks, with work starting on the new road infrastructure. Once this is complete, work will begin on the business park, which is due to be completed by this summer.
As part of wider programme of development at the airport, and as part of the 10-year Business Plan, a new multimillion-pound freight cargo facility has been established, further maximising the property and assets of the airport. The new facility boasts the latest in screening technology and offers daily services for freight movements as well as supporting ad-hoc charters for specialised cargo.
