Around 150 jobs are set to be created in Tendring after permission was granted to allow the temporary use of the Bathside Bay Container Terminal platform as a facility for the construction of turbines destined for North Sea wind farms. Planning permission has been granted for a temporary period of 15 years for the land platform being created by the reclamation of Bathside Bay to be used as a green energy hub.
The site will be used for a temporary period of 15 years whilst other construction elements of the Bathside Bay Container Terminal (BBCT) are delivered before its full capacity, projected to be between 2034 and 2042, is required. The proposal will also contribute extensively to the advancement of Freeport East, Tending Council heard, as it passed the application from Harwich International Ports.
The Green Energy Hub (GEH) is intended to accommodate the rapidly growing offshore energy sector and the Government’s ambitions of installing 50 gigawatts of offshore wind generating capacity by 2030 as well as channelling investment towards Harwich. Despite the temporary nature of the proposed use the development is expected to be a catalyst for jobs growth, set to generate in the region of 150 jobs during its operational phase.
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Jacob Jaarsma, Tendring District Council planning officer, told the planning committee on May 14: "The BBCT permission is absolutely on its way and this proposal is just a temporary 15-year period to enable the use as described. Officers consider that this temporary use will bring about very significant economic benefits including considerable job opportunities and new jobs and very significant weight is attributed to those elements."
John Bowles, agent for the applicant, said: "Permission is needed because the BBCT permission presently only allows container terminal use and does not cater for additional need. It will build on previous offshore wind activity at Harwich International Port providing additional port capacity and wind turbine storage assembly and servicing. It will support the offshore energy sector and the delivery of the big new arrays of wind farms planned in the seas off Norfolk and Suffolk as part of the government's ambitious plan plans to make the UK a world leader in clean wind energy."
