A breakthrough digital zone to tackle trade barriers has taken another step closer with designs now lodged for planning permission.

The new 5G-enabled “Digital Test Bed” will see a private network cover a large stretch of Teesside Airport’s north side to help carry out a wide range of trade, goods movements, and digital processes.

Now plans to put the test bed in place have been submitted to Darlington Borough Council – who have been asked to agree a facility to test freight scanning software technologies, a covered workshop and cabins, and lighting and security fences all lined up to provide crucial infrastructure for the airport-based project.

Teesside Airport is a customs zone in the Teesside Freeport – and the digital test bed project had a £3.5million boost agreed by the Freeport board last year.

The project aims to ease practical problems which can hamper operations in customs zones.

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The wider plan is for its results and findings to feed into the UK Border Strategy, with the potential for the technology to bring both cost and time savings on a much larger scale.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who chairs the Teesside Freeport Board, said: “We’ve always been a technology trailblazer to attract huge international investment and foster talent in our region.

“Our work on 5G alongside industry experts is yet another example of how we’re leading the pack to boost our airport and unleash our region’s full potential.

“This again is another chance to put Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool on the international map when it comes to removing trade barriers, promoting cutting-edge research, and making it easier to do business in the UK.

“I’m excited to see spades in the ground and physical work on the project starting this year.”

Flexible configurations using portable buildings, and moveable gantries on which technology can be fixed, are part of the plans.

This will simulate the movement of goods and services across digital borders in a controlled, safe, secure, and independent environment.