Plans submitted for 2250-job Teesside wind turbine blade factory

Plans have been submitted to create a “mammoth” 2250-job Teesside wind turbine blade making factory.

A blueprint for GE Renewable Energy’s proposed plant has been handed to authorities.

Tee Valley Mayor Houchen says the facility – which is earmarked for the Teesworks development and will provide parts for the North Sea-based Dogger Bank wind farm – will create 750 direct jobs and 1500 supply chain posts.

If approved, Mayor Houchen [pictured below] says the first turbine blades could roll out of the factory in 2023.

Highlighting the potential of GE Renewable Energy’s plant, plans for which were revealed earlier this year after Teesside was handed freeport status by the Government, Mayor Houchen said: “I’m excited to reveal the huge plans for this mammoth facility.

“The real regeneration of this site is beginning to take shape right in front of our eyes and, with it, creating real jobs on the ground as we speak.

“We’re clearing ground and delivering a construction-ready site primed for developers and now we’ve got global investors right here at the UK’s largest freeport building this massive factory; a factory producing wind turbine blades and boosting our clean energy ambitions by supplying the growing offshore wind energy sector.”

Andrew Bellamy, managing director at LM Wind Power UK, a GE Renewable Energy business, said the unveiling of the plans marked “a first important milestone”.

He said: “We are looking forward to continuing on this journey to transform the site and contribute to the creation of this revived location that will form a leading offshore wind industrial cluster in the UK, creating thousands of highly-skilled jobs in the process.”

Mary Lanigan, leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, added: “This is another breakthrough moment.

“All the hard work is paying off; the vision is being made real.”