A massive commercial greenhouse could be built in Kirkleatham, Redcar, contributing to efforts to cut carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The greenhouse would be the second largest commercial greenhouse in the UK.

Redcar and Cleveland Council has signed an option to lease agreement with the firm Oasthouse Ventures, which is behind the proposed project, on the Manor Farm site behind Kirkleatham Business Park.

According to council cabinet papers, the operation could remove thousands of tonnes of carbon as part of the growing process.

The council, which agreed to a new climate change strategy last year, is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Oasthouse already operates more than 70 acres of high-tech greenhouses in the south of England, using waste heat left over from water treatments to power them.

In 2018 it helped fund Grovida, a Portuguese company developing growing and processing facilities for medicinal grade cannabis products.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted Brighton-based Oasthouse, although it is yet to provide a statement.

The council declined to comment at this stage on the greenhouse plans.

If the project comes to fruition it would only be sited a few miles away from another major ‘green’ project – a huge solar energy farm being planned by EDF Renewables UK on a 50 hectare site to the east of Yearby village, adjacent to the A174.