Possible £10bn investment into region welcomed

Published date17 April 2024
Publication titleEvening Chronicle
On Monday, Northumberland County Council confirmed an agreement had been reached with American firm Blackstone and its data centre subsidiary QTS to take over the former Britishvolt site at Cambois near Blyth

The company aims to develop either a 'hyperscale datacentre campus' or an 'AI Data Centre Campus' on the site.

Yesterday, Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson said the project would deliver 1,600 direct jobs.

This figure included 1,200 "longterm construction jobs" and over 2,700 "indirect jobs" over the course of the development.

The site had previously been earmarked for the creation of a "gigafactory"

building electric vehicle batteries. It was claimed this would bring 3,000 onsite jobs as well as 5,000 in the supply chain.

However, the project was beset by numerous complications over the years. While progress on the site has been welcomed, Labour leader Scott Dickinson said he was "disappointed" the battery factory would not be built despite welcoming the investment.

Coun Dickinson said: "The Northumberland Labour Group welcomes any investments in Northumberland. While the failure of the gigafactory project and the subsequent job opportunities is disappointing, the new proposal shows promise in potentially creating over 1500 jobs.

"This is a fresh opportunity for the site. Despite the lesser scale of job creation, it still presents a significant potential for employment.

"The group pledges unwavering support for all initiatives and is eagerly anticipating crucial milestones such as the submission and review of planning applications.

"Taking prompt action on these plans will bolster confidence in the site and its potential, fostering optimism and progress within the community.

"Numerous details and milestones need to be met to validate this proposal, but the group remains optimistic. Specifics regarding the...

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