A GROUP has been set up with the ambitious aim of revitalising Redcar as a seaside resort.

Red Carpet Development was created at a public meeting when 70 people voted unanimously to start investigating ways of promoting urban improvement schemes in the town.

The charity is focusing its attention on reviewing the Coatham Links scheme in the hope of returning it to a leisure-led project.

The controversial scheme has caused a bitter dispute between Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and local campaigners who have tried to block the £55m housing development.

The protest went as far as a judicial review in December, which overturned the council's decision to approve the Persimmon Homes scheme.

The group, which has 15 trustees on the board, is looking to attract funding from a variety of sources to finance its plans.

Founder member John Wilkinson said: "Development trusts are growing in number throughout the country as an effective way of transforming communities by harnessing grass-roots determination to improve the local environment, services and amenities.

"Here in Redcar, we have seen serious long-term decline in the quality of our High Street, a concentration on building housing estates, but not essential amenities, and an inability to revitalise our tourist economy. Red Carpet Development is a non-political, non-profit-making organisation looking to reverse those trends."

The charity is to prepare a plan involving several regeneration initiatives, a marketing strategy and other community projects. It plans to work alongside local businesses, the council and government agencies, securing finance from grants, investment, loans and rents.

Coun George Dunning, the leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, believes many of the proposed schemes are already being addressed.

He said: "We are hoping the Redcar Town Centre Management Team will be the driving force behind the redevelopment of Redcar. The executive committee meets regularly to work on their proposals.

"There are continuous discussions with businesses in the town to try and work out ways of improving the town centre and attracting more people.

"We are hopefully going to attract money from the coastal budget that was announced by the Government to help rejuvenate seaside towns such as Redcar."