The white water course at Tees Barrage, near Stockton, is set to receive a £3.5m upgrade as part of efforts to establish the facility as one of the top white water rafting venues in the world.

The plans, produced by a joint partnership between British Waterways and the Stockton-Middlesbrough Initiative (SMI), include reconfiguring the main course, building a second shorter course and installing four large screw pumps – also know as Archimedes Screws – to pump the water needed to create guaranteed conditions for white water activities.

When not used to pump water around the course, the pumps will use excess river water to generate electricity, helping the course to be sustainable in energy terms.

The plans, announced today, have been put on display ahead of a public consultation process which will see the partnership hold meetings with current users of the course, as well as organisations and businesses along the river corridor between Stockton and Middlesbrough.

Fred Hartley, senior projects manager for British Waterways, said: “This is not only a fascinating and innovative piece of engineering – it will also result in a truly world class facility for the Tees Valley.”

To fund the project, the partnership has made bids to the Regional Development Agency, One NorthEast and Sport England in a hope to receive around £3m. The rest would be made up by British Waterways, owners of the barrage, the white water course and the two local authorities.

Subject to the project securing funding, building work on the scheme is scheduled to start in November 2008, with a completion date set for summer 2009.