Council backs revised plan to create 5000 jobs near Sunderland’s Nissan factory

Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet and its full council meeting have welcomed revised plans to help deliver over 5,000 jobs and draw more than £300m in development.

The authority this week (November 22) endorsed updates for the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP).

Proposed for an area near the A19 and north of automaker Nissan’s existing manufacturing plant, the IAMP represents a joint project between South Tyneside and Sunderland City Councils.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Sunderland adopted the updates and modifications for the IAMP’s Area Action Plan (AAP) that were made following a planning inspector’s report.

Cllr Harry Trueman, Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “The discussions and adoption by the City Council are an important step to securing this landmark development.

“Investors are already showing interest in the IAMP site and it can go on to unlock more economic and job creating opportunities for the North East.”

The proposed IAMP would span 370 acres of land and comprise the same floorspace as more than 100 football pitches.

The two councils’ AAP sets out how the IAMP project must be developed comprehensively as a scheme rather than piecemeal.

The document states: “The scale and national significance of the IAMP mean that it is inappropriate to allow it to come forward on a piecemeal basis, as this would undermine the IAMP AAP objectives and prejudice delivery.”

South Tyneside’s Cabinet is due to meet next Wednesday (November 29). Its full council meeting, during which the adoption and endorsement of the AAP will be examined, is on Thursday (November 30).

Cllr Iain Malcolm, the Leader of South Tyneside Council, commented: “IAMP is the most significant infrastructure project in this region for decades and will put us on the world stage for advanced manufacturing in the automotive industry.

“The adoption of the Area Action Plan by Sunderland represents another milestone in the planning of this development and our own Cabinet and Council will be considering the plan next week.”

Subject to further permissions being sought, works could start as early as 2018.