Hull 'ticks all the boxes'
“We aim to conclude formal agreements this year,” Matt Jukes, ABP Hull & Goole
Hull's proposed site for Siemens' wind turbine factory 'ticks all the boxes' in terms of location, deepwater, lock-free access and space, says Matt Jukes, ABP's port director for Hull and Goole.
The two sides have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and are now in detailed talks about the plans, which include building ABP's long-awaited 600 metre riverside berth and infilling part of Alexandra Dock to provide a total 130 acre site.
“We aim to conclude formal agreements this year,” says Mr Jukes. But Hull must also face the British planning system once again. The riverside berth plans - first announced as Quay 2000, later renamed Quay 2005 and finally given the go ahead at the end of 2005 - will now have to be revisited, as the wind port plans will require a Harbour Revision Order amendment.
ABP hopes to start building in the first half of 2012 and expects to invest about £100m in the infrastructure development. Siemens is thought to be looking at about £80m; the whole project is likely to create 800-900 jobs. ABP and Siemens will be looking to take advantage of any funding opportunities there are, says Mr Jukes.
He believes that where Siemens has led, others will follow, including manufacturers further down the supply chain.
Images for this article - click to enlarge
Unless otherwise stated, all images copyright © Mercator Media 2012. This does not exclude the owner's assertion of copyright over the material.
