Regeneration of town up to 20 years behind Leeds and Manchester

A COUNCIL officer said that he sees Middlesbrough as approximately 15 to 20 years behind the likes of Leeds and Manchester when it comes to regeneration.

- By DANIEL HODGSON Local democracy reporter

Sam Gilmore, Middlesbrough Council's head of economic growth, made the comments during a visit to Leeds for the UK's Real Estate Infrastructure and Investment Forum (UKREiiF) last Tuesday.

Richard Horniman, the council's director of regeneration explained that the council had been criticised within the recent peer review process for not looking outwards enough and so it was important to attend.

Middlesbrough Council's delegation shared the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) pitch alongside other constituent authorities, such as Stockton, who had given a presentation earlier in the day about their work in the town centre.

Speaking at the major property and investment event Sam Gilmore said: "I think it's absolutely critical that we show a united front to investors, that it's not only the mayoral combined authority, but the constituent local authorities that form part of it that have a very similar mindset and a common vision and a common approach to dealing with those things."