PD Ports welcomes planning proposals (From The Northern Echo)

PD Ports welcomes planning proposals

10:37am Wednesday 25th July 2007 in Support Our Port

TEESPORT owner PD Ports yesterday welcomed a Government report recommending that an improved and faster planning process for port development should be implemented.

PD's plans to create a £300m deep sea terminal at the Middlesbrough port, which would see the creation of up to 5,500 jobs in the region, are going through the planning process and are being considered by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Yesterday, the company's calls for the process to be simplified were boosted by the Government's response to a report that said that more "can and should be done to expedite the planning processes, to ensure that major infrastructure projects in particular are dealt with in a more co-ordinated fashion".

The response follows the publication of an interim statement on the Ports Policy Review last week, which appeared to lend weight to the case for the development of Teesport.

Martyn Pellew, PD's group development director, said: "We are pleased that the Government has again recognised the important role that ports play as part of a sustainable transport infrastructure, as well as emphasising the importance of speeding up the planning process for major port applications.

"Our planned expansion here at Teesport is underpinned by a strong business demand for a deep-sea container port."