£2bn Energy Coast’s vision for 16,000 jobs:
A £2 billion vision to create 16,000 jobs and make west Cumbria the world leader in energy production was officially launched by Rt Hon John Hutton Minister for Business Enterprise .
Minister John Hutton (right) with Copeland MP Jamie Reed
The bold blueprint, which renames the area Britain’s Energy Coast, also includes plans for a new acute hospital and improved road and rail links.
It is expected to pump £800million into the county’s economy.
More windfarms will be built across the Cumbrian countryside and more offshore turbines will be constructed along the coast as part of the scheme.
The announcement is the clearest hint yet that Sellafield will be chosen as a site for a new nuclear power station, though no decision has yet been taken.
Secretary of State for Business John Hutton unveiled the Energy Coast plan at Sellafield this morning. He said the project would make west Cumbria “a dynamic, vibrant place to live and work for decades to come”.
The area will become the centre of the UK’s revitalised nuclear industry and a leading light in the development of renewable energy such as wave and wind power under the proposal.
The masterplan – drawn up by west Cumbria MPs Tony Cunningham and Jamie Reed – envisages the area leading the UK’s fight against the twin perils of climate change and rising oil prices.
Mr Hutton said: “The masterplan is rightfully ambitious for west Cumbria. It aims to make the area a dynamic, vibrant place to live and work for decades to come.
“Building on its strong foundations as the birthplace of civil nuclear power in the UK, with a strong desire to make the most of its unrivalled nuclear skills base, but also ready to seize the opportunities ahead in terms of jobs and wealth from the transition to the low carbon economy.
“As the Energy Coast, west Cumbria has a key role in helping the UK achieve our energy goals of tackling climate change and securing our future energy supplies.
“And certainly at this present time of rising global oil prices, the need to have a diverse mix of low carbon energy sources that can help reduce our dependency on oil, is absolutely vital.
“West Cumbria is well placed to prosper as one of the country’s most important energy industry hubs, in terms of skills and expertise.
“The newly established National Skills Academy for Nuclear, based in Cockermouth, is working to co-ordinate and develop training at a regional and national level.
“And the new North West Nuclear Academy, due for completion in February next year at Lillyhall, will be a dedicated centre of excellence and innovation, providing a range of education and training facilities.
“Waste and decommissioning – two of the nuclear industry’s biggest historic challenges – also bring with it massive opportunities. And Cumbria has the expertise in both to play a leading role.
“Just by having the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) headquarters at Westlakes, near Whitehaven, has provided a major focus for businesses and has stimulated large contractors to locate there.
“But just as it is important for the UK not to put all our energy eggs in one basket, so it is for west Cumbria.
“I strongly believe that the Energy Coast could be a hub for renewables and all low carbon technologies.
“Our Renewables 2020 target will mean a major expansion of natural wind and wave resource in the UK.
“Indeed measures we have proposed in our Renewable Energy Strategy are aimed at delivering a 10-fold increase in our use of renewable energy by 2020.
“To achieve this we’ll need nothing less than an ‘energy revolution’. But the benefits could be enormous, creating around 160,000 jobs in the UK and beyond, and involving at least £100 billion of new investment.
“There is no reason why west Cumbria should not be leading the way in competing for this investment.
“It already has many leading renewables projects – Walney Offshore Wind Farm will produce enough clean electricity for approximately 360,000 homes when fully operational in 2013.
“Then there is the 90 megawatt Barrow Offshore Wind Farm which began generating in March 2006.
“Going forward, I know that the Crown Estate has identified a number of areas of economic potential for future offshore wind development, including west Cumbria’s coastline.
“However, this will still be subject to the outcome of the Strategic Environmental Assessment on our draft plan for up to 25 gigawatts of new offshore wind development rights in UK waters.
“Of course, it’s not just about offshore wind.
“There is scope for development of onshore wind too.
“We have said in our draft Renewable Energy Strategy that we will need to have around 14 gigawatts of onshore wind in order to meet our targets. I’m pleased to see that some of this has already been built – or is under construction – in west Cumbria.”
with kind permission from:
The Cumberland News, article by Matthew Legg Business editor, Wednesday, 23 July 2000
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