'Too many promises' as development bodies reviewed

5 hours ago

David MacmillanNorth East and Cumbria political reporter

News image — Marie Keitch, Carol Kell and Sandi McFarlane say they have seen too many promises fail to deliver change in Gresham in Middlesbrough

BBC Three middle-aged women are standing together in front of a dirty cracked white wall. They all have grey hair and are wearing black jackets with blue tops under them. — Marie Keitch, Carol Kell and Sandi McFarlane say they have seen too many promises fail to deliver change in Gresham in Middlesbrough

A review has begun into organisations set up to regenerate two town centres, with some residents claiming promises "never happen".

Run by a board and linked to the regional mayor, Mayoral Development Corporations were created in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough in 2023 with the powers to buy property and build infrastructure.

But some living in Gresham in Middlesbrough, one area earmarked for development, said that while plans "sound good" they have seen too many promises fail to deliver change "we just don't believe it anymore".

Conservative Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said it felt like "the appropriate time" to look at their future.

There had been a number of proposals to redevelop Gresham ahead of the formation of the Middlesbrough Development Corporation.

In 2005, a plan was drawn up to demolish nearly 1,500 homes before government funding was withdrawn.

Google The former Crown cinema sits on the junction of two roads. It's a brick built Edwardian building, very large but very delapidated with vegetation growing out of the roof — The historic Crown cinema building was transferred to the Middlesbrough Development Corporation but critics say it will cost millions of pounds to restore

Marie Keitch's house was one of those earmarked to be pulled down.

"We were held in limbo, thinking what should we do?" she said.

"Some of my friends moved out and were broken-hearted, but now I think they're glad they did."

More recently, plans to build a hotel and student accommodation, through a project called Crown Square, were put on hold.

Carol Kell and Sandi McFarlane said they had seen too many promises fail to deliver change in Gresham.

"We just don't believe it anymore," Kell said.

"It sounds good but just wait till it happens, because sometimes it never happens," added McFarlane.

Ray Casey is standing outside the former Crown cinema in Middlesbrough which is a dilapidated red-brick building covered in scaffolding. He is wearing a blue jacket and stripey top and has white hair. He is not smiling — Journalist Ray Casey says the Crown cinema has become "a massive liability"

The historic Crown cinema building, was transferred to the Middlesbrough Development Corporation, after being purchased by Middlesbrough Council.

Journalist Ray Casey said it could cost tens of millions to restore, with "so much water on the flat roof there are trees growing in it".

"If the development corporation gets abolished, these 'assets' could come back to Middlesbrough Council," he said.

"That's not an asset, it's a massive liability."

Houchen said plans to redevelop Gresham would continue and are not dependent on the future of the Middlesbrough Development Corporation.

"We've got planning permission, a lot of land has been prepared and we've made The Crown safe," he said.

Speaking on BBC Politics North, Labour MP for Hartlepool Jonathan Brash said while they had been "too slow", now was "the opportunity to prove themselves".

"I think it's worth pointing out in Hartlepool we have started to see some progress," he said, citing partnerships with the former Binns building development and the Valour Support Centre project for veterans in the town.

"These are positive moves in the right direction."

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