‘20,000 JOBS’ AT HUGE NEW BUSINESS SITE
A50 project opposite Toyota factory tipped to bring work to North Staffs
A HUGE new business park set to be built on the border of Staffordshire and Derbyshire could create nearly 20,000 jobs
The East Midlands Intermodal Park is planned to be built opposite the giant Toyota factory at Burnaston, which employs hundreds of workers from North Staffordshire.
Council leaders say the site, just off the A50, would attract firms to create 10,600 jobs on site. But that will rise to a total of 19,900 jobs when including those connected to the site, it has been revealed.
Derbyshire County Council leader Barry Lewis said it would provide a rail freight link, taking many vehicles transporting goods off the roads, and would include innovation in partnership with Toyota into hydrogen technology and ‘green fuel’.
He said the site could bring £910 million into the area each year, and create a ‘hotbed for innovation’ that would ‘super-charge’ the local economy, including for businesses such as Nestle and JCB.
He said the site would allow firms such as Toyota and Bombardier to bring their supply chain into the region to cut down on costs, bringing those jobs from around the UK and the world, to the area.
The full business case for the site – about 14 miles from Uttoxeter and with easy access to Stoke-on-trent via the A50 – is due to be filed in the autumn.
Fellow cabinet member Tony King said: “I have huge excitement about it. It is a huge project and there will be enormous opportunities for investment.
A lot of huge opportunities will be in hugely innovative areas, particularly in hydrogen energy, in co-operation with Toyota.
“It will give existing businesses huge opportunities to bring their supply chains in and will benefit significantly our existing supply chain. There is a lot of talk and focus on jobs and the number of jobs, but it is also the opportunity to promote high-security jobs.”
Councillor Lewis agreed the scheme would aim to provide quality jobs. The site off the A50/A38 roundabout at Toyota would include 5.2 million sq ft of manufacturing and distribution space.