Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report that set out a draft Vision to develop a Care and Health Innovation Zone at Teesdale and the adjacent Marshalling Yards. This exciting, once in a generation opportunity could deliver a nationally significant cluster that realises benefits for the whole of the Tees Valley. 

 

The draft Vision had four main aims:

 

• To breathe considerable new life into Teesdale Business Park and ensure all 50 hectares are fully utilised. We will create the buzz and dynamic environment that Teesdale has always promised but has, as yet, not fully delivered.

• To bring forward the holistic regeneration of the 60 hectares Tees Marshalling Yards site for both employment and housing and other ancillary uses.

• To grow all aspects of the health, public-health and social care sector, and their supply chains, in Teesdale and the Marshalling Yards and make us a recognised UK cluster

• To integrate the new Care and Health Innovation Zone with Stockton-on-Tees Town Centre and enhance connectivity through transport and active travel links.

 

Achievement of the draft Vision had the potential to deliver 9,000 direct jobs at the site, generating annual Gross Value Added (GVA) worth £470 million to the Tees Valley economy. At the same time, it would reduce health inequalities, improve connectivity, drive innovation and deliver skills that the sector needs to succeed.

 

The Vision had been developed in partnership, and core partners had identified the following workstreams to drive forward the shared ambitions:

 

• Masterplanning and Infrastructure

• Health and Social Care Integrated Clinical Facilities and Capital Delivery

• Innovation and R&D

• Commercial / Business Growth

• Education and Skills.

 

 

In July 2023, Cabinet agreed to develop a Masterplan and business case for regeneration at Teesdale and the Marshalling Yards, based around potential for a Care and Health Zone.

 

Following Cabinet agreement, the Council had worked closely with a number of core partners to shape and test thinking, and to develop a draft Vision for the Zone.

 

Discussions with partners identified a significant scale of potential, based around three mutually reinforcing and major opportunities:

 

• Teesdale Business Park – at 50 hectares was one of the UK’s biggest brownfield regeneration schemes of the late 1980s / early 1990s. It is now underutilised and in need of fresh momentum.

• Tees Marshalling Yards - At 60 hectares, one of the largest remaining brownfield regeneration sites in the UK, adjoining Teesdale Business Park and at the heart of the Tees Valley.

• Care and Health Sector – a significant employer and a cornerstone of UK innovation and R&D. A growth sector with substantial needs for modernisation/reorientation of its estate.

 

Successful delivery of the Vision had significant potential for Stockton-on-Tees and Tees Valley, including:

 

• Grow economic prosperity – it is estimated 9,000 jobs will be located directly on-site . This level of job creation could generate annual Gross Value Added (GVA) worth £470 million to the Tees Valley economy, with more through multiplier effects.

• Drive down health inequalities – by using the site for leading edge health provision, promoting new models of health and social care integration and establishing Stockton-on-Tees at the forefront of advances in service delivery.

• Deliver homes that people need – with the potential to accommodate a further 3,600 houses and a range of new residential care facilities.

• Establish greater visibility for the Tees Valley as a national player in the health and social care sector, by developing a focal point that will attract national interest and nationally significant occupiers.

• Address skills shortages - which are currently impacting service delivery and mean we are hampered in our efforts to address health inequalities.

• Support our fiscal base – through the capture of significant Business Rates and Council Tax, which can allow us to finance a range of essential services for our residents, at a time of unprecedented strain on public sector finances.

• Promote Pride in Place – enhancing the attractiveness of Stockton-on-Tees as a place to live, work and grow a business.

• Successfully develop brownfield land in sustainable locations – with potential to deliver 110 hectares of brownfield development, in a central location that has the potential to be extremely well served by the public transport network.

 

The Council had worked with key partners to develop the draft Vision for the site, and to understand anticipated impact. A strong partnership approach would also be needed to as we move to delivery.

 

A Partnership Board had been established to:

• Drive delivery.

• Attract investment.

• Develop innovative approaches to meet infrastructure requirements.

• Provide strategic direction for workstream activity (further detail below).

 

Alongside the Council, the Board comprised representation from:

• Teesside University.

• Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust.

• North Tees NHS Trust.

• Education Training Collective (Stockton Riverside College).

• Tees Valley Combined Authority.

 

A portion of the Marshalling Yards sits in Middlesborough Local Authority area, and it was therefore proposed that a discussion takes place with Middlesborough Council to develop and implement the Vision as part of a Tees Valley-wide opportunity.

 

Five complementary workstreams had been identified to drive forward the Vision and turn our ambitions into reality. These were:

 

Masterplanning and Infrastructure

This workstream would:

• Develop a Masterplan for Teesdale and Marshalling Yards (covering ambitions for: care & health provision, education and skills, business premises and support for innovation, residential provision).

• Build investor confidence and attract investment to deliver the Masterplan.

• Improve public transport and active travel links.

 

Health and Social Care Integrated Clinical Facilities and Capital Delivery

This workstream would:

• Confirm service delivery needs across organisations and capital requirements to enable this.

• Confirm timescales for future capital and service needs as part of a regional approach

• Make the case to Government for a state-of-the clinical facilities on the site.

 

Innovation and R&D

This workstream would:

• Identify opportunities for Innovation / R&D aligned as part of a Stockton-based approach to building a Care and Health Cluster.

• Identify opportunities for business incubation and accelerator hubs.

 

Commercial / Business Growth

This workstream would:

• Identify opportunities for sector growth and supply chain development.

• Confirm business requirements for commercial premises.

• Identify opportunities for multi-occupier buildings.

 

Education and Skills

This workstream would confirm education and skills needs to deliver the Care and Health Innovation Zone and explore funding solutions.

 

This would include working with Teesside University and Stockton Riverside College to explore growth of healthcare education provision.

 

RESOLVED that:-

 

1. The draft Vision and approach to develop the Care and Health Innovation Zone (paragraph 8 of the report) be agreed.

 

2. The partnership arrangements as set out at paragraphs 10-12 of the report be agreed.

 

3. The workstream areas and packages of work set out at paragraphs 14-19 of the report be agreed.

 

4. Discussions begin with Middlesborough Council to develop and implement the Vision as part of a Tees Valley-wide opportunity.