The plans include building the highest office and residential towers for 30 miles as part of an initial £45m phase of the project that will transform Teesside’s skyline.

Digital city plan for Middlesbrough with one office and two residential towers and a 750-seat indoor amphitheatre

Construction of the first phase, which will include three 20 storey-towers, will start next summer and create up to 400 construction jobs.

It will see the creation of a digital campus, a 750-seat indoor amphitheatre beneath a glass atrium and a 400-seat outdoor amphitheatre to host events such as lectures, cultural events and entertainment.

Amphitheatre will sit at the foot of the main office build

Mayor Preston said: “For the next few years my obsession, my mission, my purpose on this planet is to get Middlesbrough on track as the digital city for the UK.

“This is a £45m first step of a quarter of a billion pounds scheme that will propel Middlesbrough on a journey to become the UK’s digital capital – bringing investment, jobs and prosperity to the town.

“This isn’t another pipe dream that might happen in two, four or ten years’ time. This is happening now.

“We have the money and investors in place. Planning consent will be sought within weeks and construction will start next summer.”

The £30m office element is being joint funded by the Tees Valley Combined Authority and Middlesbrough Council.

This includes £26.5m from the Combined Authority’s £588m Investment Plan which was agreed earlier this year and sets out a ten-year vision to transform the region.

The council will contribute £3.5m, with a further £15m investment in residential accommodation by a third party consortium.