Humber ‘energy park’ decision delayed for two months

A CRUCIAL planning decision on the future one of the largest industrial sites in the Yorkshire region has been postponed by the Government until later this summer.
The £400m Able Marine Energy Park planned for the banks of the HumberThe £400m Able Marine Energy Park planned for the banks of the Humber
The £400m Able Marine Energy Park planned for the banks of the Humber

Ministers were due to rule by the end of this week on whether the proposed Able Marine Energy Park on the south bank of the River Humber can proceed.

Developers believe the 800-acre site could support more than 4,000 jobs through a cluster of factories centred around the burgeoning offshore wind industry – but first require planning permission from the Department for Transport (DfT), the Whitehall authority responsible for port sites.

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In a written statement yesterday, Transport Minister Norman Baker said port developer Able will be given more time to conclude negotiations over buying a lease for the river bed at Killingholme from the Crown Estate, which he said was necessary in order to comply with planning regulations.

“I have decided to set the deadline for the decision to July 24, an extension of two months, in order to allow the applicant to negotiate terms of a lease of land they require for the project,” he said.

“The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to give development consent for this project.”

Able said the decision was “understandable”, but urged a quick decision from the DfT once the lease issue has been resolved.

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Able UK group development director Neil Etherington said: “With a development of this scale and this importance – both regionally and nationally – it is understandable the Secretary of State would wish to see clarity on this issue.

“We are involved in discussions with the Crown Estate on this specific matter and, once complete, we hope a decision will be made as quickly as possible.”

Thousands of wind turbines are due to be built off the Yorkshire coast over the coming decade.