Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen has set out his plan for jobs to revitalise the former Redcar steelworks site – a plan that will see almost 400 jobs created and almost £400m worth of investment over the next 12 months.

Throwing the doors open to the newly-named Teesworks site, the mayor announced a host of new contracts which will go out for tender in the coming weeks. 

Over the next 12 months, 19 separate demolitions will take place and 18 individual contracts will go out for tender, creating 390 jobs, 39 of which will be for apprentices. In total, 775 jobs will be created through these investments, which will total £393m.

Although any upcoming contracts will be open for national and global tender, it is being stressed that any successful bids should include jobs for the local workforce wherever possible.

Houchen said: “My 12-month plan for the former steelworks is a plan for local people and local businesses to create jobs, jobs and more jobs. Due to the sheer scale of the site, the numbers are huge and there is nothing like this anywhere else in the UK.

“More than 200 local jobs have already been created on the site, but this is just the beginning. Over the next year, we will go on to create hundreds more real jobs for real people in our communities. We own the land, we have the keys, the diggers are in place and we are getting on with the job we promised to the former steelworkers, some of which are already back on site in new jobs.

“We want businesses to know what opportunities are coming up so they can bid for them and support jobs in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, which is more important than ever as we recover from the coronavirus pandemic. 

“The hundreds of jobs we are creating and the investment we are bringing in will help us change the skyline of Teesside forever in the biggest demolition programme this region has ever seen. This is a site with a proud history and one which has touched the lives of so many of the people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, and we can make it a site they are proud of again.”

Companies and organisations are being urged to find out more and register their interest in bidding for all upcoming contract and procurement opportunities at Teesworks here.