North Lincolnshire Council has welcomed news that plans to build Europe’s largest offshore wind park on the south bank of the Humber have taken a major step forward.
Able UK has had its application accepted by the national planning body, the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), for its plans to build a state-of-the-art £450 Marine Energy Park on the South Humber Bank, now part of the recently formed Humber Enterprise Zone.
If given full approval, the scheme is expected to bring thousands of skilled jobs to the Humber and includes facilities to commission, make, and assemble offshore wind turbines.
It will put the Humber at the heart of the Europe’s renewable energy industry and see the creation of more than 4,000 jobs on site plus many thousands more direct and indirect jobs.
North Lincolnshire Council gave its approval to the plans when it was consulted as part of the planning process last year.
This is a separate application to Able UK’s £100m port related logistics park that was approved by North Lincolnshire Council in June 2011.
The Marine Energy Park is such a significant infrastructure project that the application was submitted directly to IPC.
The sheer scale of investment is so significant to the area’s economy that it could radically transform the economies of both banks on to a trajectory not seen before – bringing high quality, well-paid jobs.
Able UK’s investment is a direct result of the Government’s Round Three Offshore wind licences.
It is hoped construction on the quay will be complete by summer 2015.
Cllr Liz Redfern, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council , said:
“ This is another major step forward in the development of the South Humber Bank and with it comes the prospect of many thousands of jobs and huge economic investment.
“ There is still some way to go before the application is decided, but this announcement means are moving closer and closer to seeing the Humber reach its full potential as a European capital for the renewable energy industry .”
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Offshore Wind Staff, January 19, 2012