Green for go on wind turbine plant

Siemens and Associated British Ports will submit joint planning applications tomorrow seeking to secure the delivery of Green Port Hull, a £210m facility on Alexandra Dock that would place the city at the centre of the UK’s renewable energy industry and provide a much-needed boost for British manufacturing.

As well as creating up to 300 initial construction jobs, the plant, which would assemble and manufacture offshore wind turbines, would employ 700 highly skilled engineering workers and potentially support thousands of other jobs in associated industries.

Subject to formal approval by Hull Council and marine authorities, which could be in place by next summer, and following public consultations in the new year, the facility could be operational by 2014.

The announcement ended months of uncertainty, but both Siemens and ABP insisted yesterday that preparatory work behind the scenes had continued at a pace and the German company had not wavered in its desire to bring the project to Hull.

ABP port director for Hull and Goole Matt Jukes said: “Developing Green Port Hull for Siemens represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for both the Port of Hull and our city to take the leading role in the UK’s green energy revolution.

“Our teams have put in a huge amount of work on the project over the last 12 months and I am exceedingly pleased that we’re now in a position to submit these applications which will see the complete transformation of Alexandra Dock, firmly position Hull as a centre of excellence for renewable energy and generate unparalleled opportunities for the city and region.”

Yesterday’s announcement has delighted civic leaders and politicians in the region.

Hull West and Hessle Labour MP Alan Johnson said delivery of the project was now “within the gift” of the city council.

“I think now we are on the home straight; that’s not to say there aren’t any hurdles to get over, but I think we have done the hard work,” he said.

“We can’t be complacent and we’ve got to get the planning order through, but this is the best possible news for Christmas and it means the champagne corks can be half out of the bottle and I’m confident that we can get to the end of the course.”

The planning applications would see about 12 businesses already on the site relocated in the port. A factory, offices, storage, handling, testing and assembly facilities would be built, along with a helicopter landing site. The plant would also have its own operational turbine.

As well as assembling turbines, the factory would make the nacelle component, which converts the energy.

A critical factor in Siemens choosing Hull has been its close proximity to three of the world’s biggest offshore wind farms – which are under construction off Hornsea, Dogger Bank and Norfolk – and are all within 12 hours steaming time and require 5,000 turbines.

Siemens project manager Dan McGrail said: “We are very pleased that another significant milestone in the project has been achieved, and we look forward to discussing plans further with the local community during the consultation process.

“Both Siemens and ABP would like to thank Hull City Council and the local community for helping us reach today’s milestone and for their support.”

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