One of the UK’s biggest ports has accused Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen of wasting public money on protracted legal action against it.
PD Ports said the South Tees Development Corporation, the regeneration body chaired by Houchen, had issued “inaccurate” statements about the reasons for the case.
The legal action was launched in 2021 over access rights to the corporation’s land, in a case that is ongoing.
Houchen has stated publicly that the action is solely about PD’s access rights, but PD has claimed that the case is aimed at extracting money from the port.
PD Ports owns and operates Teesport, the country’s fifth-largest port by tonnage. Both it and the adjacent Teesworks, STDC’s controversial steelworks regeneration project, are part of the UK’s biggest freeport.
Teesworks is now subject to a government inquiry due to accusations of poor governance and value for money, allegations denied by both Houchen and the project’s developers.
