High hopes for city’s green-jobs future

A new York Council report has estimated there already as many as 7,000 green jobs across the city, and says the potential expansion of the green sector means thousands of new jobs could be created in industries such as wind, home insulation, construction and combined heat and power technologies – if it manages to attract the right investment.

The report also highlights the potential for Science City York, which has worked for the past 12 years to drive business growth and employment opportunities across North Yorkshire, to provide even more jobs if a £30m scheme to transform the former North Selby mine into an internationally-renowned bio-renewables research facility producing electricity for tens of thousands of homes, goes ahead.

Reacting to the report, Coun Andrew Waller the leader of York Council, said: “It is important to create a wide range of jobs for the future success of the economy.

“York is rapidly becoming a centre of excellence for eco-friendly construction in homes and public buildings.

“We also have a wide range of companies in the area from high tech to grass roots initiatives doing a very impressive job. I am determined to see that York gets its share of national resources, and that we do all that we can to help these companies to set up and expand.”

“The report shows how we can build on an already successful campaign to make York a greener healthier place to live in. Even though there are already 7,000 green jobs in the city there is still room for growth, and with the potential for a 25 per cent increase in green jobs in 10 years York really can be at the forefront of the green industry in the UK.”