The new business park is expected to create up to 4,400 jobs when fully operational, made up of 1.9m sq. ft of logistics, distribution, and industrial buildings, with direct access from the A67.

Four new units built along a new through road covering 130,000sq ft make up the first phase of the plan.

Subsequent phases would see plots of between one to 200 acres developed as more businesses look to base themselves at the modernised airport.

The new 1.5km A67 link road, running direct to the southside area will lead to the creation of a new roundabout close to Wilkinson’s Plant Centre.

Construction on the scheme should begin within weeks, with work starting on the new road infrastructure.  Once this is complete, work will begin on the business park, which is due to be completed by this summer.

A deal to take the airport into public ownership by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has galvanised the business park plan, which has been mooted for over four years.

The original deal to buy the airport and save it from closure included 817 acres of developable land, giving the airport huge opportunities to drive inward investment across the whole site.

The Southside land, comprising 270 acres and running parallel to the runway, is the largest area primed for development.