Middlesbrough Development Corporation

Middlesbrough Development Corporation is a publicly-owned mayoral [development corporation] created to fund, manage, and accelerate regeneration in Middlesbrough town centre and Middlehaven, England.
It was established on 27 February 2023 by statutory instrument 2023/103, and is a part of Tees Valley Combined Authority, with board comprising elected and private-sector members.

History

The establishment was first proposed in August 2022 by the Tees Valley Combined Authority as a publicly owned statutory body with increased powers. Initially, the corporation was planned to be in operation by the end of 2022.
The proposals included £10 million of investment from the Tees Valley Combined Authority, as well as £8 million from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to transform the area of Gresham. Following the consultation, a shadow board for the corporation was established comprising elected and private-sector members from:

Tees Valley Combined Authority
Middlesbrough Council
Cleveland Police
Teesside University
and a member of a local non-profit youth organisation

At a meeting on 24 February 2023, Middlesbrough Council voted 16 to 12 in a non-binding vote against the planned development corporation. All 16 Labour party councillors opposed the plans, and many councillors did not attend. The major concerns voiced were around a loss of planning powers for the council, the transfer of council assets to the new entity, and a 'lack of expertise' on the board. The proposed council assets for transfer to the MDC include:

Middlehaven – including brownfield sites, Middlesbrough Dock, and surrounding land of around 40 acres
Middlesbrough bus station
The Crown and neighbouring units
Broadcasting House Enterprise Centre and freehold of Sainsbury's site
Units under A66 along Wilson Street
and a number of sites and council owned car parks earmarked for redevelopment.

On 27 February 2023, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities confirmed the development corporation would go ahead despite not receiving backing from Middlesbrough Council. The corporation was established by statutory instrument 2023/103. Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald called it a “scandalous denial of democracy". However, the legislation came after 25 of the 46 councillors signed an open letter of support for the MDC sent to the secretary of state Michael Gove.