GB£3m UK redevelopment project begins

The Port of Blyth, which operates as an offshore energy support base, is reconstructing and strengthening the quay on the Bates Terminal site. A kilometre of new roadway is also being built to improve access, and considerable earthworks are taking place to level the development site. The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) provided GB£2.85m investment for the redevelopment work, which is part of a GB£20m five-year investment plan for the Bates terminal.

Having consolidated two neighbouring sites into a single terminal with multiple quays, the site is already home to several of the Northumberland port’s major tenant businesses. Once completed, the works will unlock 6Ha of prime quayside land on site and provide an additional heavy lift quay, with the land development opportunity expected to generate significant interest from a range of sectors including offshore wind/renewables and liquid bulks.

Martin Lawlor, chief executive of Port of Blyth, said: “Commencing these works is another major milestone in the development of Port of Blyth. While the reconstruction of the quay will provide increased flexibility and availability at a time when demand is high, the earthworks on site will open up exciting opportunities for redevelopment on areas of the existing terminal and recently acquired land.”

The principle contract for the Bates Terminal works has been awarded to County Durham civil engineering firm Hall Construction, with the project expected to be completed by November 2020.

The terminal redevelopment comes at a time when Blyth’s Energy Central partnership is approaching completion of the GB£32m Northumberland Energy Park (phase 1) on the former Blyth Power Station site.