Revolution at park can lead to 300 new jobs

Yesterday, it was revealed that an industrial development, R -evolution @ the AMP, has been launched as the next stage of the development at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), near Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

The development from Harworth Estates is expected to provide around 200,000 sq ft of industrial units.

Duncan Armstrong-Payne, Harworth estates development manager, said a large number of manufacturers wanted to move on to the AMP, and the development of R-evolution@theAMP could lead to the creation of between 250 to 300 jobs over the next three or four years.

He added. “The AMP is a well-established brand. It’s a prime site with momentum behind it.”

A spokesman for the AMP said that the new development would build on the success of the original industrial units on the site, which are fully let, and the progress across the AMP.

Building work has started on the new Rolls-Royce advanced blade casting facility, and the University of Sheffield’s AMRC Training Centre and the Design and Prototyping Centre.

The R-evolution development also falls within the Enterprise Zone, which means there are incentives for firms to move in.

Simon Spode, AMP marketing manager, said: “The announcement of the R-evolution development is great news for the AMP.

“At a time when interest in the park is at its highest ever level, it is important that we’re providing a wide variety of property options for the businesses that wish to benefit from being located at the centre of the UK’s advanced manufacturing heartland.

“Whether it’s from the large research organisations or smaller SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) firms, the spirit of innovation and collaboration in our businesses is great to see.”

Mr Armstrong-Payne added: “The next phase is targeted at the local, national and international manufacturing sector.

“We want to continue the success of the AMP, by providing business space for local companies to expand, and to attract national and international companies to work alongside the existing businesses on the park.

“R-evolution will be a new, high quality development, providing a range of industrial units.

“However, with a total of 80 acres available across the remainder of the park, we are already in discussions with businesses that are looking for much larger premises, and all of this bodes well for employment across the area.

“We are working with a range of manufacturing companies to meet market demand from people who want to be at the ‘Mayfair address’ for advanced manufacturing.

“To see cranes across the skyline shows confidence in the site, and the growth of the Sheffield City Region as a whole.”

The AMP is part of the Waverley development, which is creating jobs and providing homes on a former coalfield site. It is close to the site of the Battle of Orgreave, where pickets and police clashed in 1984 during the miners’ strike.

Mr Armstrong-Payne added: “With more than 30 families now moved in on the site, and many more to come, together with the continued expansion of the AMP, Waverley is fast becoming the most important regeneration site in the area”.

Rolls-Royce’s Advanced Blade Casting Facility (ABCF) is being built on the AMP, and is expected to produce its first blades in late 2014. This is the first of three Rolls-Royce facilities planned for the AMP, which was established through a private and public sector partnership to provide a centre of excellence for hi-tech engineering.

Apart from the blades casting facility, Rolls-Royce has identified locations at the AMP for a factory to manufacture, assemble and test components for the proposed next generation of civil nuclear power stations, and a third factory which could house one of Rolls-Royce’s suppliers.

When asked about Rolls Royce’s proposed nuclear factory on the AMP, a Rolls Royce spokesman said: “We continue to develop our plans for a civil nuclear manufacturing facility, in line with our customer needs and pace of the UK nuclear build programme.”

The spokesman declined to comment when asked whether Rolls Royce was considering other sites for the nuclear factory.

The spokesman stressed that Rolls Royce was committed to the AMP.

[email protected]