How the Humber can play a key role in decarbonising the UK economy and create jobs

The head of the px Group, which runs Saltend Chemical Park in the region, said that its facility was primed to create many jobs both directly and indirectly as the UK pivots towards being zero net carbon.

The Humber region is one of the most polluting regions in the country but has recently begun to attract investment from the likes of Siemens with its wind turbine manufacturing site and more recently with the announcement that the first rare earth processing facility in Europe is planned for the chemical park.

Speaking to The Yorkshire Post, its chief executive Geoff Holmes said the site had already attracted international players such as the Pensana Group who wish to build the rare earth plant and that it wanted to do bring in more pioneering firms.

Mr Holmes said: “Our strategy has energy transition at the very heart of it.

“There is a significance from a UK-wide perspective of the Humber region to be playing a part in decarbonising these massive industrial areas.

“It is a great fit with our strategy and we are very proud to be part of it.”

Patrick Pogue, px group business development director, said big projects in the region were progressing in real life and not just on paper.

“It is a fantastic cluster,” he said.

“Projects are moving ahead and work is moving at pace. The rate of progress has been quite staggering. We are punching above our weight at the moment.

“The next stage is to really push on get construction started. It is good for downstream business. It is a long game. The construction sites that will inevitably come will create jobs. As much as we are delighted with the big multi-million pound projects we are also really keen to get the smaller companies coming in, it all helps.”