Commenting on Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Minister Nick Hurd’s visit to Redcar today, MP Anna Turley said:
“I was pleased that Nick Hurd accepted my invite to visit Redcar and was able to see first-hand today the challenges we face and also the great opportunities we have here on Teesside.
“Visiting the steelworks site, I raised again the challenge of unlocking the land for future regeneration which is currently being held up by ownership issues. It is crucial that we can make the most of the assets here to create new jobs and we need government support and diplomatic efforts to do that.
“The minister’s announcement that approval has been given to the Taskforce’s £5 million investment bid for our town centre is excellent news. Like all High Streets, Redcar has struggled over recent years but the closure of SSI dealt a particularly large blow to the local economy. This investment, alongside that already committed by the council, will give us the resources to turn that tide.
“We will be looking to local residents and businesses to help drive that redevelopment, building on the ideas proposed at our public meeting on the future of the town. New shops and bars have already sprung up thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of local people. With the council, businesses, residents, MPs working together and support from government I know we can make this a real success.”