Plans revealed for new manufacturing hub at South Tyneside’s £400m IAMP development

Plans have been revealed for another manufacturing facility on the North East’s £400m International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP).

If approved, the development will create a building spanning 131,891 sq ft, almost the size of two football pitches, on land north of Nissan.

The second building at IAMP, the scheme will comprise a factory floor and nearly 11,000 sq ft of office space on ‘plot 4’ of the park. It will be completed in two phases.

IAMP is being delivered through a partnership between Sunderland City Council, South Tyneside Council and developer Henry Boot.

Its first tenant is due to move in this summer. SNOP, the French car parts company, is creating a £15m manufacturing facility at IAMP, where it plans to invest a further €15m Euros in new machinery and create over 100 new jobs.

Once complete, the park is expected to bring more than 7,000 jobs to the region.

South Tyneside Council Leader Cllr Iain Malcolm said: “We have always been very confident in IAMP’s ability to attract significant investment, because it really is a special site.

“IAMP has the potential to totally transform the region’s economy, creating many thousands of jobs for generations to come.”

He continued: “Despite being a 15-year programme, momentum is building already, and we are confident that – despite the uncertainty created by Brexit – we can continue to attract investment in this region, in partnership with our colleagues at Sunderland and Henry Boot Developments.”

Cllr Graeme Miller, Sunderland City Council Leader, commented: “IAMP will capitalise on the North East’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, and cultivate a diverse base of businesses, spanning aerospace, rail, automation and offshore among others.

“The unique proposition that IAMP offers gives us a high level of confidence in the contribution it can make to the North East economy and to UK manufacturing at large.”

He added: “The scheme offers unrivalled transport links, with direct access to local ports and airports, and boasts an incredible talent pool of skilled workers. To have already attracted such significant interest is testament to this and we look forward to seeing it transform from unused land to the beating heart of the city’s economy.”

Henry Boot Developments regional manager Anthony Clitheroe said: “IAMP is one of the most significant schemes coming out of the ground anywhere in the UK in respect of its scale and its potential impact on the economy.

“There will be no better location for automotive and advanced manufacturing companies, which is reflected in the interest in IAMP and the conversations taking place with potential occupiers. We look forward to making further announcements as the scheme continues to progress apace.”

The first phase of the park, IAMP One, covers 150 acres and will create 1.6m sq ft of space for businesses in the advanced manufacturing and industrial sectors. Phase two will deliver a further 2.6m sq ft.

The Government has pledged £42m from the Local Growth Deal through the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to support the development with new roads, bridges and environmental enhancements.