Green light for new Blyth Gigaplant which could create up to 8,000 jobs

The proposals for UK firm Britishvolt to build a £2.6 billion ‘Gigafactory’ at Cambois were given the green light by Northumberland County Council on Tuesday (July 6), hot on the heels of Nissan confirming its intention to launch a similar scheme in Wearside.

And development bosses have predicted that even more investment could flow into the region of the back of the decision.

“But it is clear that with both those two plants operating at full capacity, it will only potentially achieve a fifth of the output that the UK needs,” said Rob Murfin, the county council’s director of planning.

“The advantage to Northumberland isn’t just in terms of this site, it’s the fact that there is a very strong pattern emerging of us being seen as a favourable location.

“We need to see this scheme as part of the economic restructuring of the county, to find the strength that it has lost because of the contraction of traditional industries and be the first part of the new generation of economic development.

“There could well be capacity for more battery production in Northumberland.”

Murfin was speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the local authority’s Strategic Planning Committee, which unanimously approved the application for the former Blyth Power Station coal yards.

At the start of proceedings, the panel was advised by chairman Coun. Trevor Thorne to make sure members took account of the ‘economic benefit’ of the scheme, as well as the usual planning considerations.

It’s hoped the factory could create 3,000 direct jobs and another 5,000 in its supply chain and support services.

Coun. Gordon Stewart, who represents Prudhoe South and is a member of the Strategic Planning Committee, said: “I was delighted to support the applications which makes great use of abandoned industrial land, bringing thousands of jobs directly or indirectly to the region.

“Many Tynedale-based companies will be able to look at securing contracts.”