Exclusive:Humber remains one of UK's most significant industrial areas, report finds
The Humber remains one of the UK’s most significant industrial clusters, a new report has found, with its clean energy, chemicals and advanced manufacturing strengths key to the country’s growth ambitions.
The State of the Humber report published today by the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and Arup, which has been shared exclusively with The Yorkshire Post, calls on the Government and business to keep building on the region’s assets.
It assessed the economic strengths on both banks of the river, finding that the clean energy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors all have productivity well above the national average.
The “Energy Estuary” generates 20 per cent of the UK’s total electricity, creates one-third of its refinery products and is the location for the importation of around one-fifth of all gas into the country. It is also the largest emitter of carbon dioxide in Britain.
The report said these industries “form the backbone of the Humber economy” and underpin major national supply chains. They are also essential to industrial decarbonisation.
The NPP and Arup called for the sectors to be protected, with the next few years important for the future success of the region.
The huge Viking carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Immingham is hoping for a final investment decision this Parliament.
If approved, that would see £15bn of private investment pour into the Estuary, which is the country’s biggest carbon emitter.
The region is also bidding to become the UK’s first hydrogen network. This comes after Vivergo Fuels Ltd and the Lindsey Prax Oil Refinery both closed their doors last year.
Henri Murison, chief executive of the NPP, said: “The Humber is one of the UK’s most important industrial clusters, with real strengths in energy, chemicals and advanced manufacturing that are central to the country’s economic future.
“With the right investment and policy framework, the Humber can play a leading role in driving growth, strengthening the UK’s industrial base and delivering the transition to a more sustainable economy.”
This comes with the Treasury set to publish the second part of its Northern Growth Strategy today, which appears will again focus on the corridor between Liverpool and Sheffield, through Leeds and Manchester.
Earlier this week, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that regional growth was key to boosting Britain’s economy, saying that “in an unbalanced Britain, we all lose out”.
In January, Ms Reeves announced Northern Powerhouse Rail, with transport underpinning the first part of her growth strategy for the North.
However, the region was largely written out of the NPR proposals, with local politicians saying it had not got “its fair share, yet again”.
“The reality is the huge opportunities of the North are not just in the Northern Growth Corridor from Liverpool to York, but also in Scunthorpe and the Humber,” Mr Murison added.