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Go-ahead for port will bring 5,500 jobs
MORE than 5,500 jobs are on their way to the North-East after the Government approved plans for a £300m investment to transform the economic fortunes of the region.
Teesport owner PD Ports has won approval for its deep-water container terminal on the River Tees, which will increase the port's capacity six-fold and turn it into a major international freight destination.
The multi-million pound investment, known as the Northern Gateway scheme, will allow traffic from Asia and the Far East to dock and unload on the Tees. It is expected to be ready by 2011.
The Northern Echo exclusively revealed plans for the £300m deep-sea container terminal three years ago and since then has campaigned to help it win Government approval.
MPs and investment chiefs say the development will bring much-needed jobs to the region and help bridge the £29bn North-South economic divide.
It will also cut road congestion and emissions because more containers will move by sea rather than on the UK's motorways.
A deep-water terminal could add as much as £500m to the region's annual economic output.
Transport secretary Ruth Kelly announced her approval for the plans yesterday, clearing the way for the scheme to go ahead.
The terminal will allow larger ships to bring goods direct from Asia and the Far East, instead of freight being shipped to southern ports and brought to the North in lorries.
It is expected to cut tens of millions of lorry miles and ease heavily-congested roads and ports in the South of England.
Developers say the project will create about 500 jobs - plus 5,000 more with new warehouses and distribution centres at Teesport.
They hope it may even attract new assembly plants that would put the final touches to goods manufactured in the Far East.
PD Ports chief executive David Robinson said: "This is very significant news for the North of England and for the supply chains of very many UK companies.
"Today is a significant step for Teesport and for the maritime industry as a whole. A deep-sea container terminal on the Tees will attract container ships direct to Teesport from around the globe.
"All those imported goods needed for Northern consumers and retailers in the likes of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle can now travel the short distance from port to consumer via retailers'
shelves. This will also result in
tens of millions of lorry miles
being saved by stopping the
wastefulness of all those containers
being landed at a southern
UK port but being destined
by road or rail for the North."
The application is one of the
fastest port expansions to be approved.
PD development director Martyn
Pellew said: "Undoubtedly,
the help and support we have had
in the region has helped this go
through quickly and without any
objections."
He thanked The Northern
Echo for its long-running campaign
and said it had been crucial
in raising awareness about the
economic benefits the expansion
could bring to the region.
Redcar MP Vera Baird, who
has been a staunch supporter of
the scheme, said: "The team at
PD Ports have worked extremely
hard to get this far and I have
supported them in their efforts to
bring this major development to
the area. The importance of creating
over 5,000 jobs as we continue
raising employment in the
region is crucial."
5:02am Friday 22nd February 2008
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CommentPosted by: mally, darlo on 9:39am Fri 22 Feb 08
If we can retrain the Norhtern Rock workforce as stevadores and dock workers, it will solve a job loss problem in one fell swoop
If we can retrain the Norhtern Rock workforce as stevadores and dock workers, it will solve a job loss problem in one fell swoop
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