Work starts on £80m scheme expected to create 1,600 jobs
Construction has started on a majormanufacturingscheme expected to bring 1,600 new jobs to Wearside.
The first phase of seven buildings is already taking shape at Hillthorn Business Park, in Washington, with work due to be completed by November.
The £80million project is expected to totally transform a 25-hectare site and place Sunderland “at the heart of advanced manufacturing in the UK”.
As well as being near to the Nissan car plant, the scheme is also “just a stone’s throw” away from the International AdvancedManufacturingPark (IAMP) and Turbine Business Park.
Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “I’msopleasedtoseeHillthorn BusinessParkmovingforward.
“This is a strategically significant site, that is superbly positionedandwillensurethat thecityunlocksitspotentialas a hub for advanced manufacturing.Itbuildsonthefantastic relationship we have formed with Legal & General and will allow us to create many more high quality jobs for local people,andopportunitiesforlocal businessesaswemovethrough the construction phase of this project.”
The first phase of the
schemewasapprovedlastyear, while work on the wider project has been under way since at least 2015.
The site part of has already held Enterprise Zone status from the Government and the North East Local Enterprise
Partnership since 2012, marking it out as a key location for new economic development.
The Hillthorn plans are being financed by insurance giantLegal&General,themultinational firm’s second major investmentinWearside,ontop
of its £100million Riverside Sunderland initiative.
A deal worth £1billion has been agreed between Nissan, Sunderland City Council and Envision AESC for a electric vehicle (EV) hub and gigafactory, with plans for the battery
plant approved last year and expected to create 750 green jobs and safeguarding 300 existing roles.
PaulEdwards,headofasset management for Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets, said: “Sunderland is a city undergoing rapid transformation and we’re delighted to be playing a role in accelerating that, through investments like this that will delivermoreandbetterjobsfor the area, stimulating more investment in the city.”