THE first phase of an advanced manufacturing park aimed at creating jobs in Teesside is complete and ready to accept its first occupiers.

The £55m Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park (TeesAMP), in Middlesbrough, has been competed by leading regeneration specialist Chaloner Group.

The 180,000sq ft phase one of the landmark park, located adjacent to Riverside Park industrial development on the southern bank of the River Tees, is now complete and ready to accept its first occupiers.

Featuring high quality, high specification buildings for manufacturing and research and development facilities, it is hoped TeesAMP will become a focal point for innovation and advanced engineering in the Tees Valley.

The eleven hectare site could create in the region of 1,000 jobs.

With the first lettings due to be announced soon, interest in TeesAMP continues to grow with plans in place to start the design programme for phase two, which will cover a further 100,000sq ft.

Chaloner Group has developed the site in partnership with Middlesbrough Borough Council and Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) in order to attract innovative companies to the area, with the aim of creating more job opportunities in the Tees Valley.

The investment also includes a £25m anaerobic digester, which will use food and biological waster to generate power.

Phase one has been constructed predominately by a North-East-based supply chain, including main contractor Robertson North East and Stockton steel fabricators Nationwide Structures.

The manufacturing park has been funded by £12.5m from Middlesbrough Borough Council, £7.65m from TVCA and £2.3m from the SSI Taskforce, the body set up to support regeneration after the closure of the SSI steelworks, and substantial private investment.

In addition, relationships have already been forged between the TeesAMP with local educational institutions including Middlesbrough College, which will provide tailored trade packages in partnership with individual companies to create bespoke training and development courses for firms based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park.

TeesAMP is the latest is a portfolio of significant developments in the Tees Valley led by the Chaloner Group, as part of its strategy to deliver residential and industrial regeneration projects that bring community and economic benefits to the area.

Geoff Hogg, chief executive of Chaloner Group, said: “We are exceptionally proud to have led the delivery of phase one of the TeesAMP, which sets the standard for high quality manufacturing facilities in the region.

“Reaching practical completion is a major milestone for the project in readiness for the first occupiers moving in.

"The interest in the TeesAMP from the manufacturing sector has been considerable with around 70 per cent of the space likely to be taken in the near future, which gives us confidence to embark on phase two soon.”

Plans for the TeesAMP project were first submitted in 2018 and were approved later that year, with work starting in 2019.