Major expansion of IAMP project
One has already been built out with French automotive supplier SNOP moving into a purpose-builtfacilitylastyear, along with South Tyneside firm Faltec, which relocated to a new building at the site.
The site also houses the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Advanced Manufacturingwhichwascompletedin March this year, before being transformed temporarily into an NHS Nightingale Hospital.
Director and Head of Region at HBD, Tom Wheldon, said the new planning permissionandextralandatIAMP would“provideoccupierswith moreflexibilityforbespokefacilities.”
“Having a one million sq ft ‘spade ready’ site with infrastructure already in place – including over 45MVA power – differentiates the IAMP and illustrateswhytheschemewas designated nationally and internationally significant,” he said.
“We know that innovation isn’t in short supply – the industry has huge potential for growthandIAMPexiststosupport that, providing the facilities and ecosystem to put that innovation into practice and accelerate growth strategies.
“The North East benefits from an excellent skills base, which hasn’t gone unnoticed and is evident in the enquiries we’re receiving from both UK andinternationalbusinesses.”
Leader of South Tyneside Council, Coun Iain Malcolm, described the move as “another significant milestone in bringing forward the IAMP site.”
“IAMP is generating interest from a number of manufacturing sectors and this additional land offers further scope to companies looking at the park as a potential investment location,” he said.
“We,alongsideourpartners at Sunderland City Council, continue to maximise the economic opportunities to bring much needed investment and jobs to the region through IAMP.”
Sunderland City Council leader, Coun Graeme Miller, added: “IAMP is a location with vast potential, that has so much to offer to engineering and advanced manufacturing businesses. We’re delighted that this planning permission willpavethewayforfurtherexpansionofthesite–something we are sure the market will respond to.”
The IAMP has been designated a ‘nationally significant infrastructure project’ by the UK Government, which has pledged £42m towards infrastructure.