Huge employment park plan is given green light

SCHEME HAS POTENTIAL TO CREATE OVER 5,000 JOBS AT HUMBER FREEPORT

- By COREENA FORD

PLANS for a huge employment park with the potential to create more than 5,000 jobs at Humber Freeport have taken a leap forward after getting the green light from planners.

Developer Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and landowner St Johns College Cambridge are behind the proposals to build an industrial and manufacturing park with around 5.5 million sq ft of space close to Goole Docks.

Now, subject to a number of conditions and legal agreements being completed-including contributions to infrastructure plans planners at East Riding Council have given the go ahead for the outline plans, which cover a whopping 306 acres.

The far-reaching plan could provide space for a number of businesses from a raft of sectors, keen to expand or extend their footprint in the region, while also creating 3,291 jobs in the local area and up to 5,468 jobs across the wider Yorkshire and Humber region.

During the construction phase, around 768 construction jobs will also be generated, increasing to 933 through the supply chain.

The scheme based to the west of Goole and north east of Rawcliffe Bridge will also deliver a huge economic boost to the region of around £64.4m in GVA (Gross Value Added) in the construction phase.

That will grow to £269m once up and running, around £162m of which would be focussed on the local area of the development site.