TEESPORT owner PD Ports is taking legal advice to ensure its application to expand the North-East facility and bring thousands of jobs to the region is given a fair hearing.

PD yesterday told The Northern Echo it was concerned that its case to create a £300m deep sea container terminal at Teesport, in Middlesbrough, was not being treated on a "level playing field" to venues in the South.

Rival port operator Hutchison, which owns ports in Felixstowe and Harwich, is the sole objector to PD's Northern Gateway proposal - which, if granted, could bring up to 5,500 jobs to the region - claiming that the road and rail network surrounding Teesport could not cope with the additional freight.

However, the objection, which was overruled by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's planning committee, has been described by PD as "not at all surprising, and purely in Hutchison's commercial interest".

Last night, Martyn Pellew, PD Ports group development director, said the company was keen to take steps to ensure the North was not being overlooked.

"We are currently speaking to our lawyers about a few issues we have over the fact that we are supposed to be working on a level playing field, where all ports are treated in the same way," he said.

"There are issues we want to look at regarding rail and road access for the London Gateway in comparison to us, and in regard to Hutchison's objection to our plans - although it is a different situation, you have got to have a level playing field."

The concerns have been raised only days after a £1.5bn London Gateway "superport" was given the go-ahead in Essex.

Southern ports, including Southampton and Felixstowe, already receive about 90 per cent of imports into the UK, and the new terminal is set to increase that further.

Mr Pellew also said PD had met with representatives from the Department for Transport over proceeding with the application, which crossed its first hurdle in April when it was granted outline planning approval by the local council.

Although Hutchison's objection could force a public inquiry, which could delay construction of the terminal by as much as a year, PD remain hopeful that can be averted.

"While the Department for Transport says there will be one (a public inquiry), we are still hopeful, and are speaking to Hutchison over the road and rail issues to see what we can sort out," said Mr Pellew.

"Although we are working hard with our research to ensure we are prepared for a public enquiry if that is the case, it is a situation we do not want."

PD's plans are backed by The Northern Echo through the Support Our Port campaign.