Hopes for thousands of jobs in Northumberland as major industrial development plans approved

Proposals for a major industrial development that could bring millions of pounds of investment into Northumberland have been given the go-ahead. Known as West Hartford Park, the scheme planned for the edge of Cramlington is envisaged to create more than 2,000 jobs in key industries such as clean energy. The scheme was brought forward by North East-based developer Arlington Real Estate alongside Homes England. Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of Northumberland County Council’s Strategic Planning Committee, Arlington’s managing director Dean Cook spoke in support of the application.

He said: “We are excited to bring this scheme forward. The site has stood vacant for 20 years and it is the only employment site in the local plan able to deliver large-scale development like this. “We hope that finally putting something forward as significant as this masterplan will be received positively. The site is not without its challenges, but we feel we have addressed those concerns and issues with the local authority. “The masterplan puts forward plans for one million square feet of employment space and two thousand jobs in south east Northumberland . That’s not taking into account jobs and opportunities created through the delivering of the programme over 10 years. “It will generate up to £150 million in inward investment and substantial economic contributions.

West Hartford Park is a unique business park.” The site was previously subject to an application for more than 500 homes in 2019, but this was rejected. Plans for a golf club were also blocked amid hope such a scheme would eventually come forward. The application includes plans for employment, research, battery storage and training centre use, as well as a petrol station, retail premises, a drive-thru coffee shop as well as a gym along with ground-mounted solar panels. Coun Malcolm Robinson said: “I’m old enough to have been here listening to the Homes England application for hundreds of houses here.

We turned it down in favour of keeping the industrial designation on the land. “We kept it for industrial development. This is one million square feet of industrial development – we have got to back it.” The committee’s chairman Coun Trevor Thorne added: ” We have an application for a prestigious industrial site providing 2,000 jobs and a lot of inwards investment. “It is great news for Northumberland and that south east corner. I think it is a marvellous application and it is going to bring jobs and investment to our county.” The proposals seek outline permission only. This would establish whether the scheme would be acceptable in principle, and another application or applications would have to be submitted before any work could begin.

Proposing approval, Coun Gordon Stewart said: “This is a multi-million pound investment that will create thousands of jobs that will benefit not just the south east of Northumberland, but far greater afield. “This is another huge success in that part of the world.” The plans were approved unanimously by the committee.