'New tenant' talks under way for department store

Plans to regenerate Stockton-on-Tees and North Thornaby include redeveloping the old Debenhams building

Discussions are being held with a potential tenant for a former high street department store.

Stockton Council bought the old Debenhams building on Stockton High Street in October 2023.

Council and Labour group leader Bob Cook said the local authority had had "productive discussions" with a possible tenant, adding: "I'm pleased to report we have a strong interest".

Cook also defended criticism from council Conservative leader Tony Riordan for taking a "risk " with taxpayers’ money when buying the building.

The Labour-run local authority said it planned to deliver a "municipal quarter", with a 25-year blueprint for regenerating central Stockton and north Thornaby.

Riordan told the meeting acquiring the building had cost £500,000 and at least £70,000 was needed a year for repairs.

He said the move had "created an inherently significant risk to the council taxpayers of this borough", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Cook said the council had already owned part of the Debenhams building through its purchase of Wellington Square, but did not own the front part, meaning "swift action" needed to be taken when it was put up for auction.

He said: "Bringing both parts of the building back into single ownership was critical to ensuring the site could be brought back into productive use.

"While further work is needed to reach a final agreement, the progress would not have been possible without securing overall control of the site."