Final decision by Siemens on its proposed new wind turbine factory in Hull is expected by the end of the year, reports the Hull Daily Mail. Planning consent for the ambitious £210 million redevelopment of Alexandra Dock where the factory will be based was granted in May.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is scheduled to sign off habitat regulations tomorrow, approving the reclamation of land from the Humber estuary to create a riverside quay where wind turbine components will be shipped from.
Once officially approved, they will be subject to a final three-month period during which they can be officially challenged through a judicial review, although any challenge by wildlife groups is unlikely.
Mark Jones , Hull City Council’s head of economic development and regeneration , said: “Getting a sign-off on the habit regulations will be another milestone.
“A number of other planning conditions still need to be discharged but discussions are continuing predicated on confirmation of the final investment decision by Siemens towards the end of the year.”
Mr Jones said as well as negotiations with Siemens and Associated British Ports, the council is also carrying out a masterplanning exercise aimed at identifying potential sites for supply chain companies. He said: “We are talking about very large sites because of the size of some of the components involved.
“The sites will have to be ready for quite heavy investment in a compressed timescale.”
As well as locations on the dock itself, development sites at the former Hedon Road maternity hospital and the Burma Drive industrial estate in east Hull are being lined up as potential opportunities for supply chain firms. Mr Jones said spin-offs from the city’s emerging renewable energy sector were already becoming evident.
Huge jack-up cranes are now regularly shipping turbine components from a riverside quay off Albert Dock to offshore wind farm sites off the Norfolk coast. Work has also already started on re-equipping a shipyard in Paull, where a new fleet of support vessels for the offshore wind industry will be built.
Mr Jones said: “There is a revival of shipbuilding and marine engineering on the estuary.
“As the sector builds, we have a great advantage because Hull has the only dry docks between The Wash and the Tees.”
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Offshore WIND Staff, July 16, 2012; Image: footprintrenewables