A new logistics and business park has been given the green flag by North Lincolnshire Council. The 1,500-acre site, funded by Able UK, is one of the largest planning applications ever granted consent in the UK and has been described by council officials as the most complex. It will include transport depots, warehousing and external storage areas, offices, a business park and a motel. Road and rail links to the adjacent ports and Humber Sea Terminal will also be provided. Construction on the project is anticipated to begin soon, with major development underway in the next year.
Richard Kendall, from the Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce, commented; “Good news it has planning permission! There will be a lot of cross-over between companies on that site and the neighbouring one, forming part of the Enterprise Zone. The project also fits into our broader aspirations to become a player in renewables.”
Logistics in the UK
The UK Logistics sector grew by 9.9% in 2010, according to a Datamonitor report. The report also revealed that the sector is worth approximately £65 billion. The logistics industry employs around 2.3 million people - almost one twelfth of the population, but has struggled, according to the Freight Transport Association’s Logistics Report 2011, to achieve much prominence in the public consciousness. The sector is expected to continue growing, due to factors such as high speed rail installations, increasing levels of trade, and efforts to raise awareness of the importance of transportation and logistics to the UK economy.
North Lincolnshire’s existing logistical strength accounts for its successful bid to develop the new logistics park, and the infrastructure provided by the development will bring an anticipated £1.5 billion of indirect investment to the area, and create up to 5,300 new jobs by the time the site is fully operational. Transportation in Lincolnshire currently accounts for approximately 20,000 jobs in the region, and in North Lincolnshire is the fifth largest sector; employing 8.6% of the economically active population.
Speaking of their choice to locate at the park in North Lincolnshire, Chief Executive of Able UK, Peter Stephenson, said, “We have been developing our interests in the area over the past decade and share the views of Central Government, Yorkshire Forward, North Lincolnshire Council, and the newly created South Humber Gateway Board, that development of the South Humber Gateway is of national and international importance.”
Able UK operates the largest purpose-designed facility for the reclamation and recycling of ships and marine structures. Stephenson continued, “We are able to offer a big space in the right place and even in current economic circumstances we are handling a number of exciting enquiries.
“This is a great place to do business - ideally placed for both UK and European markets - and with transport links set to further improve, we are well placed to take advantage of economic recovery and ensure that the Humber remains the largest tonnage port in the UK.”
Transportation in North Lincolnshire
Current infrastructure in North Lincolnshire centres on the M180 motorway that connects to the main UK motorway network, making it possible to reach Leeds, London, Manchester and Birmingham in less than four hours. In terms of rail, one quarter of all national rail freight starts in the South Humber Gateway and South Humber ports.
The ports of Grimsby and Immingham and Killingholme form the UK’s busiest trading ports by volume of cargo handled. They are also key interchanges on the North European Trade Axis, linking Ireland to the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and the Baltic States.
Humberside Airport in Kirmington - one of the UK’s fastest growing airports - is home to the second largest heliport in the country. The airport also has the region’s only Perishables Hub facility, which dramatically boosts the region’s efficiencies in airfreight distribution.
Future Investment in North Lincolnshire
The logistics and business park project has many implications for future developments in North Lincolnshire. With the region actively seeking to nurture its logistics potential, there have already been further proposals submitted by investors. An application for a Marine Energy Park to serve the wind farms in the North Sea is also due to be submitted by Able UK in 2011, with the potential to create more than 10,000 further jobs.
For further information regarding the area, see North Lincolnshire's featured listing.
