A short stretch on the south bank of the river Tees exemplifies the roller-coaster ride the east-coast ports of the north of England are experiencing during the recession.

This land is part of Tees­port, the UK’s third-biggest port by tonnage, and has been chosen by MGT Power as the site for one of the world’s largest biomass plants, a £500m, 295MW colossus given the go-ahead this month.