THE announcement of who will lead a £500m regeneration scheme could be delayed by up to two months, because of the General Election.

The Middlehaven project aims to revitalise acres of industrial wasteland on the River Tees.

Six developers bidding for the scheme gave their final presentations to lead organisation Tees Valley Regeneration (TVR) on Monday.

TVR was due to announce the winner at the end of this month. But all Government agencies are presently subject to purdah, a month-long imposed silence in the run-up to election day on May 5.

TVR has been advised by legal experts not to issue any statements until the dust has settled.

An insider said: "We cannot make any announcement before the General Election.

"It may now be June before we get all the necessary approvals and are ready to say anything."

The Middlehaven scheme, next to Middlesbrough FC's Riverside stadium, hopes to create about 2,400 homes, 800,000sq ft of offices and leisure facilities.

More than 80 developers expressed an interest to TVR, which it reduced to a shortlist featuring Urban Splash, Urban Catalyst working with Carillion, Placemakers, KUD, Taylor Woodrow, and LNER Estates.

One of them is believed to be looking at a partnership development deal with Middle East group Emaar, which is credited with transforming the fortunes of Dubai.