Member Article

Government gives go-ahead for Swan’s LDO

North Tyneside’s Swan Hunter yard is officially ‘open for business’, Elected Mayor, Mrs Linda Arkley has declared, after the government signed off its local development order (LDO).

The new order, covering both the former shipyard and adjoining land, allows a simplified planning process, so developers would not need to seek formal planning permission if their project within the designated area meets the criteria.

Qualifying projects on the site, which include both new buildings and uses, would need to be linked to the priority business sectors - off-shore wind energy generation; tidal and wave technology, oil and gas exploration and extraction; advance subsea manufacturing and technology.

There will be some restrictions on the size of the development allowed to minimise the impact on the adjacent World Heritage Site at Segedunum and protect the amenities of the local residential areas.

Elected mayor, Mrs Linda Arkley said: “I am delighted that the government has agreed the Local Development Order and we can now offer employers keen to invest in the Swan Hunter site a simplified planning process.

“That will not only benefit our residents by helping to secure further jobs and apprenticeships for local people, but it will see my priority to grow business in the borough come to fruition.

“We are all working together to ensure the North Bank of the Tyne is a key hub in the development of the North East as Europe’s premier location for low carbon, sustainable growth, focused on the offshore and renewables sector.”

North Tyneside Council, which retains the freehold land ownership for the Swan Hunter site, is now in negotiations with potential development partners for the provision of buildings of the Swan Hunter site

And it has applied for funding for infrastructure works on the site including utility provision, access improvements, quay edge improvements and dredging.

It is also working with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership to secure the best options for the partners working together on the Enterprise Zone in any procurement proposal.

As an Enterprise Zone (EZ) there will be a number of other benefits for employers taking up the opportunity to move onto the Swan Hunter site.

This includes five years business rates relief for businesses locating on or before the 31stMarch 2015.

It will also benefit from recognition as one of five Centres for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) - partnerships between Central and Local Government and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) that ensure businesses looking to invest in manufacturing for the offshore renewables industry receive the most comprehensive support possible.

CORE status will result in ongoing joint work between central and local partners to continue to develop these local offers, and unblock barriers to investment. It is a commitment to high-level Government support for local investment prioritisation that supports delivery.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jeanette Hedley .