A planned drug and alcohol detox facility in Brotton could open later this year after a previous scheme on the same site was shelved, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has learnt.

The public health-piloted project involves nine local authorities in the North-East, including Redcar and Cleveland Council, and a commissioning exercise is taking place in order to find a contractor to operate it.

Brotton was the proposed location for a scheme to provide independent living for women recovering from addictions and provide them with a secure environment.

The Northern Echo: Picture: LDRPicture: LDR (Image: Picture: LDR)

It had been opposed by local councillors who said the location, in Railway Terrace, was in the wrong place and an online petition was launched in protest.

The scheme, which incorporated ten one bed flats, was being part funded by Homes England, but suffered from delays and never came to fruition with the charity organisation behind it – Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency – eventually stepping away.

Meanwhile, the developer, a firm based in Stockton, also went bust after financial difficulties, although by that point construction of the properties had largely been completed.

Ownership of the site has since changed hands with a new clinical setting set to open which is intended to provide short-term stays for people with substance abuse issues who will reside for up to two weeks while they complete a detox programme.

Funding has been provided by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, part of the Department for Health and Social Care, while financial contributions are also being made by the local councils involved.

South Tees joint director of public health Mark Adams previously told a Redcar and Cleveland Council scrutiny committee meeting that the facility was due for completion in the spring.

When a reporter visited the site, which is surrounded by fencing and just yards away from a pub the Railway Arms, there was little sign of any activity, while local residents spoken to were either unaware of the pending plans, or did not want to comment.

A council spokesman said: “The project on Railway Terrace, Brotton will be providing an inpatient detox facility. 

“This will be medically managed with Care Quality Commission (CQC) oversight. 

“The building and provision will be linked into the local acute hospital and wider hospitals and will service a number of local authorities. 

“The facility is not able to provide accommodation longer than the duration of the detox, therefore will be limited to 5- 14 day admissions. 

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“We are currently in the development phase and hopefully the provision will open later this year.”

The spokesman said that an open day would be held for the local community at some stage in order to provide further information, while local ward councillors had also been consulted.

The council also confirmed planning permission was not required for the project.