Regional regenerators reveal major North East supply chain opportunities

Tenders will soon be sought for urban construction works in Middlehaven, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, a representative from the Homes and Communities Agency told North East businesses this week.

At the same time, regional construction outfit Southdale also outlined their intention to invest in the North East supply chain following £30 million of new work on their books.

As part of a briefing hosted by Henderson Insurance Brokers and Sanderson Weatherall, Southdale revealed that around 85% of sub-contract work on its sites in Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton and South Tyneside, would go to North East companies.

Delegates at the event heard from Southdale managing director, Trudie McCormick; Head of North East Economic Assets at the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Neil Graham; and Hartlepool Borough Council’s assistant director (Regeneration), Damien Wilson.

The delegates heard about 50 potential regeneration sites in the North East that are owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), how sub-contractors can apply for work being created by Southdale projects and the timetable for the Hartlepool Vision regeneration masterplan.

The Hartlepool Vision includes eight key areas of the town – comprising Jacksons Landing/Trincomalee Wharf and the marina, Church Street, Seaton Carew, the Headland, Wynyard, the Port and Queens Meadow - which will become the focus to increase the borough’s profile as a major leisure and visitor destination and unlock regeneration opportunities for the economic growth of the town.

The HCA is driving the development and regeneration of land, including that owned by the former Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), and is working with local partners to create communities where people want to live by providing homes, business and jobs on the sites.

Neil Graham said that the HCA was working in collaboration with agencies such as the Local Enterprise Partnerships and private sector companies to drive the regeneration of its land bank.

He revealed that tenders were being sought for the next phase of urban construction development work at Middlehaven, Middlesbrough, and bids for the construction of commercial workshops at Queens Meadow, Hartlepool, would be invited in the near future.

Jonathan Willett, director of Henderson Insurance Brokers, said: “Construction is vital to future prosperity of the region with the launch of new regeneration projects and the expansion of existing developments all having the potential to drive substantial job creation.

“This executive briefing provided the inside track on the progress of significant regeneration schemes and the supply chain opportunities that will be created.”

Jonathan Simpson, a partner at property specialists Sanderson Weatherall, said: “The three keynote speakers had strong stories to tell about how their regeneration schemes have the ability to transform the fabric of the North East.

“This briefing was of immense interest to the delegates as they were able to learn about the contract potential as these projects develop.”

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