SIX national and international companies have been unveiled as contenders to transform derelict dockland into a £500m flagship redevelopment.

Tees Valley Regeneration revealed developers have been queuing up to turn architect Will Alsop's futuristic masterplan for Middlehaven, Middlesbrough into reality.

The organisation received 80 requests from developers for information on the development - which were whittled down to a shortlist of six bids.

The shortlisted names are Urban Splash, Urban Catalyst working with Carillion, Placemakers, KUD, Taylor Woodrow, and LNER Estates.

Joe Docherty, chief executive of Tees Valley Regeneration, said: "These are some of the very best names in the country who have developed some of the most significant and high profile schemes."

The contenders will put their own interpretation on the masterplan, which includes an office block resembling Marge Simpson's hairdo, a champagne glass shaped hotel and buildings in the form of sugar cubes and prada skirts. The final winners will be revealed in April.

Sean Egan, project director at Tees Valley Regeneration said "One, two or possibly three developers will be finally chosen to develop the majority of the first phase at Middlehaven."

The multi-award-winning firm Urban Splash is best known for its city centre regeneration schemes in Manchester and Liverpool and has projects in Sheffield, Leeds and Bradford.

Urban Catalyst were lead developers on the regeneration of Derby City Centre and Barking town centre. Urban Catalyst has teamed up with Carillion, a developer specialising in complex sites.

Placemakers are a consortium including national developer Quintain, best known for its mixed-use proposals at Wembley, and as lead developer of the Greenwich Millennium Village. Partners Bioregional Properties are specialists in providing sustainable and energy-efficient buildings while IDC have been involved in projects both in the UK and Europe and the Barclays Regeneration Fund.

KUD or Kajima Urban Developments is an international developer which has worked on development across Europe, in the US and in London Docklands, with its showpiece £80m aquarium.

LNER Estates is another consortium which includes MJS Property Finance, BTS Construction and has backing from a local businessman. National developer and housebuilder Taylor Woodrow is best known for the Greenwich Millennium Village project and was involved in Newcastle Great Park, Gateshead Quays and Telford Millennium Community.