Another 40 new jobs have been created at Teesworks as the second phase of major £4million land remediation and preparation work gets under way on the site.

Following the successful completion of the first round of land clearance activity, planning permission has been granted to begin site preparation works on 120 acres of land at the Dorman Point zone of Teesworks, the UK’s largest industrial zone, to get the area ready for investment.

This second phase of work, which has created 40 jobs, has been awarded to Hall Construction as part of Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen’s commitment to create local jobs and award contracts on the site to local businesses.

The latest work will see almost one million tonnes of material excavated and reprocessed to make the site suitable for investors.

Phase one of the works was carried out over the summer by Hartlepool-based Seymour Civil Engineering, which also created 40 jobs as part of a £5million project. Work carried out as part of the project included general site clearance, major earthworks, processing of excavated materials for re-use onsite and the demolition of minor buildings.

Since Mayor Houchen announced a 12-month programme of demolition and land remediation work in June, 517 good-quality, well paid jobs have been created on site. In total 775 jobs will be created throughout the programme of work.

Mayor Houchen said: “This month we are remembering five years on from the devastating closure of the former Redcar Steelworks and the pain it caused throughout local communities. But we’re now setting out to deliver a bright new future for the people of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. We are demolishing to deliver as part of my plan for jobs.

“So far 517 good-quality well paid jobs have been created on site as part of our 12-month plan to deliver a £393million demolition and remediation programme using local contractors which will in total create 775 good-quality local jobs. These are real jobs that are putting more money in the back pockets of local workers and their families.

“When you come on site you hear the stories of our former steelworkers who have been working around the country as contractors, some only coming home for one day a week, but now they are back on site with many working just minutes from home – meaning they can spend more time with their families.

“We still have many more contracts waiting to be awarded and I urge local companies to register on the Teesworks website so they can find out about the many opportunities available and work with us as we continue to redevelop this vast site.”

Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Mary Lanigan, said: “This is good news about major investment which is a welcome boost at what is a difficult time.

“This will create high quality jobs and also make the site even more attractive to major industrial investors across the country and the world to benefit of Redcar and Cleveland for generations to come.”

Jacob Young, MP for Redcar, said: “Five years on from the closure of the SSI Steelworks we’re keeping our promise to make Teesside a world industrial hub.

“We’re proud that so many of the contracts so far have been awarded to local firms, creating local jobs. I would echo the Tees Valley Mayor in urging local firms to register on the Teesworks website and join us in this massive redevelopment for our region.”

To find out about future opportunities with Hall Construction, please email them directly on mail@hallconstruction.uk.com