New centre on Kellingley site could create 3,000 new jobs, say owners
Former colliery site jobs boost
NEARLY 3,000 new jobs could be created on the site of the former Kellingley Colliery after plans to redevelop the site into a high-end manufacturing and distribution centre were given the go-ahead.
The new owners of the site of the former deep coal mine near Pontefract, which closed in 2015, want to redevelop the 151 acre plot into a new industrial epicentre which it claims could deliver up to £200m of economic benefit to the region.
The site’s owners Harworth Group has secured the resolution to grant planning consent from Selby District Council for its plans which it estimates will create 2,900 jobs.
It has already started demolishing the old mining facilities and bosses told The Yorkshire Post that the new facility could be operational by as soon as 2019.
The owners are aiming to mirror the same level of expertise as seen at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in South Yorkshire, as well as to make use of the close proximity of road and rail links.
Owen Michaelson, chief executive of Harworth Group, said: “We’re delighted to have received the support for our scheme that will make a significant contribution to Yorkshire’s
economy. We’re fully committed to creating a first-class commercial centre that is likely to provide at least several hundred jobs in accordance with local planning policy, replacing the jobs lost when the Colliery closed its doors in 2015.
“The site has a fantastic legacy and history and we are looking to create new, high quality and highly-skilled jobs on the site.”
Harworth will now concentrate its efforts in preparing the land for redevelopment and promoting the site to key international and national businesses. The offering will be able to accommodate units ranging from 17,000 sq. ft to 600,000 sq ft. The firm is already employing circa 60 people on the site to carry out the demolition and remediation work.
Leader of Selby District Council, Councillor Mark Crane, said: “This is a key development site for our district and crucial for the delivery of our Economic Development Strategy. It has the potential to create significant new jobs and bring in a huge amount of new investment.
“It benefits from the things that make our district a great place to do business, including fantastic transport connections, affordable business space and being supported by a skilled local workforce; all located right at the heart of Yorkshire. We’ve been working as a team with Harworth and their advisors, North Yorkshire County Council and with Selby College to create the plan for the site, as part of our work to support growth and development which opens up new job opportunities and helps to make us a great place for business and a great place to live.”
The mine was the largest deep pit in Europe when it was open and when it was at full capacity could bring up to 900 tonnes an hour to the surface. When it began operations in 1965 it employed more than 2,000 people. Its closure marked the end of deep mining in England.
Barton Willmore acted as planning consultant for the deal. Claire Kent, its planning director, said: “This is a major milestone for the regeneration of Kellingley Colliery, and the surrounding area.
WHEN KELLINGLEY Colliery shut its gates for the final time in December 2015, it not only signified the end of centuries of deep coal production in Yorkshire and the UK, it marked the burning out of the last dying embers of an industry that once powered the Industrial Revolution and helped build the British Empire.
The closure of the country’s last deep mine was a bitter blow to the men that worked there. The demise of the coal industry in this country has had a devastating impact and while some colliery sites have been transformed into industrial estates or retail parks, others have become a symbol of decline.
Which is why the news that hundreds of jobs could be created at the site of the former Kellingley Colliery is to be applauded. Harworth Group Plc, which owns the land, has reached a deal with Selby District Council allowing redevelopment of the North Yorkshire site which could boost the local economy by £200m.
The 151 acre plot is seen as ripe for investment given its location in the heart of the county and the hope among local businesses and councillors is that these new jobs will replace those lost when Kellingley closed.
Given the struggles that many former pit communities encountered as they struggled to make the transition from heavy manufacturing to hi-tech industry without families being left on the spoil heap, this is a step in the right direction.
Those working behind the scenes in an effort to come up with a viable plan to rejuvenate the former colliery site deserve much credit. And as we begin the Easter celebrations here is a welcome story of hope and renewal born out of despondency and despair.