Demolition work that will pave the way for a new £90million quay at Teesworks has moved a step closer today (22 January).

An application has been made for a marine licence to enable crews at the South Bank area of the site to begin work along the riverbank and in the River Tees itself to transform it into a 1km heavy-lift quay.

The scheme will see the demolition of the existing wharf, jetties and other structures – including an electrical substation – along the river. Dredging will also take place to deepen parts of the river, needed to accommodate vessels and create a berthing area where they can dock

The construction of the quay is central to plans to make the region the UK’s premier offshore wind location. It will give companies direct access to the biggest wind farms across the world and form part of the wider 4.5m sq ft of advanced manufacturing and industrial space set to be built on 450acres of land next to the wharf.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “This latest step shows how serious we are and how quickly we’re moving to make our vision to become the best place in the UK for offshore wind development a reality. It has only been a few short months since I set out our plans, but we’re moving fast to get workers on site and spades in the ground.

“Creating the good-quality, well-paid jobs of the future is a key part of my plan for jobs and there is no better example of this that what we are doing on the south bank of the River Tees. Just last month we were given the go-ahead for our plans to create 4.5m sq ft of advanced manufacturing and industrial space, a plan that will create 1,000 construction jobs for local workers.

“The South Bank Quay is a huge opportunity to add to our clean energy plans for Teesworks by capitalising on the offshore wind sector alongside our other groundbreaking developments such as Net Zero Teesside’s carbon capture, utilisation and storage scheme. Teesworks’ unique location and the expertise of local people and our supply chains offer huge advantages for companies working in offshore and are a draw for them looking to come here – and this infrastructure will prove another massive asset.

“We’re continuing to breathe new life into the Teesworks site, with a number of other massive milestones on the horizon, which will bring more investment, more businesses and more highly skilled jobs to our area for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.”

The move comes just weeks after a major £1.5million investigation into the River Tees got under way, which gathered information on the geology and make-up of the bed to back proposals for the dredging work and quay.

The leader of Redcar And Cleveland Borough Council, Mary Lanigan, said: “This is a massive opportunity and shows our dedication to ensuring the immense economic potential of the Teesworks site becomes a reality. While this particular plan remains subject to approval we are continuing to work closely with partners on the wider, exciting vision for the site that will create thousands of high quality jobs and attract investment from across the globe.”