A former shipyard in North Tyneside is in line for a multi-million pound restoration in the hope of making it a new hub for clean energy jobs.
The old Howdon Yard, which is next to the Tyne Tunnel, is set for a major redevelopment to attract companies in the offshore wind industry to move onto the site. On Tuesday, leaders at the North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) agreed to pump £2.8m into the riverside site’s renewal.
North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll said the investment was about “turbocharging the green industrial revolution”. Deputy mayor of North Tyneside, Carl Johnson, added: “We know that the low carbon energy sector provides a game-changing economic opportunity for our region, particularly in and around the Port of Tyne.
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"The investment at Howdon Yard will make a massive difference to unlock further growth. The offshore technology sector really can change the fabric of our region socially, economically, and politically with the opportunity it brings.
“Add to that the advice and support we are giving to businesses to help them reduce their carbon emissions. We are creating a progressive consensus on good green jobs so we can meet the challenges of the current economic climate.”
An NTCA report states that repairs at the Howdon Yard, which will cost more than £5m in total, is needed in order to make it economically viable for new businesses to move onto the site. The land, which is within the Port of Tyne’s Clean Energy Park, was previously earmarked for a renewable energy power plant that it was hoped would create more than 1,000 jobs.
The NTCA estimates that 80 jobs would be created at the Howdon Yard after this latest redevelopment – with the potential for a further 250 down the line. A report to the authority’s cabinet states: “This aim of this project is to undertake site remediation and preparation works at the Howdon Yard and associated quayside, bring forward a 3.5 hectare site which will be attractive to end-users in the offshore energy sector.
“The Howdon Yard and Quay is part of the Port of Tyne’s Tyne Clean Energy Park. It benefits from access to deep water, increasingly important to operators in the offshore energy sector, and is only 6.5 km from the mouth of the River Tyne and the North Sea. The site is adjacent to the A19 Tyne Tunnel and links to major road networks.
“The current condition of the site and the berth is a barrier to securing an end user, and projects have been lost to other locations. However, redevelopment is not currently economically viable without external funding. This project will develop half of the Howdon yard, including quay repair works, site remediation, drainage, fendering and site security works.”
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