Harworth Group: "Former coal site could contribute millions to the local economy"

More than 150 acres of reclaimed brownfield land - once one of the largest coal despatch sites in the region - has the potential to become a strategic industrial zone, contributing millions to the economy.

This is the latest research according to property development company, Harworth Group.

Previously used as a coal stock yard for UK Coal, the site at Wardley in South Tyneside is within a zoned area, with land spanning between Sunderland and South Tyneside. A planning application for phase one of IAMP has recently been approved.

The land has planning permission for rail connected uses including container storage and mineral stocking, as well as consent for a renewable energy plant. It is home to existing tenants including Costain and Container Sales UK.

Eddie Peat, director of North East and corporate for Harworth Group, said: “Wardley is unique in terms of location, development potential and transport links and with manufacturers on our doorstep, our regeneration plans certainly have to engage that.

“IAMP could attract over £400m of private inward investment and create up to 5,000 new jobs for the North East so our site could become a major area of employment within a larger, nationally-recognised scheme.

“Our aim now is to secure a large organisation for the site, possibly through expansion or relocation in light of the IAMP proposals, who may wish to build new and substantial, bespoke premises for long-term growth and this could also play an enabling role in reopening the Leamside Line to the ports.”

The line has, more recently, been the subject of discussion to reopen the track, and this for potential investors and manufacturing organisations looking for a strategic site, could be significant.

As one of the UK’s leading regeneration companies, Harworth has a successful track record transforming sites like Wardley and Lynefield Park into strategic business zones.

Lynefield Park at Lynemouth, Northumberland, is the former Alcan aluminium smelter site and currently one of the largest brownfield projects in the North East with planning permission for 1.3m sq ft of development.

It is being seen as the masterplan for growth in an area where the closure of traditional manufacturing and coal mining industries has had a significant impact on the local economy and surrounding communities.

Furthermore, Harworth’s flagship Advanced Manufacturing Park at Waverley (a former colliery site) has attracted commercial occupiers following redevelopment such as Rolls Royce, Boeing and McLaren Automotive as well as national homebuilders.

However, one of the many challenges facing the industry is a rise in construction costs across the board meaning that in certain areas and for many companies, schemes may be temporarily delayed, put on hold or even shelved.

This is partly due to a lack of available labour, developments being constructed on a speculative basis without anchor tenants being secured beforehand or a real lack of demand for commercial space in those locations.

Furthermore, Harworth works alongside existing commercial tenants to enable growth in terms of expansion and new employment opportunities.

Lynx Precast, a UK manufacturer and installer of precast concrete flooring systems at Lynefield Park, has seen staff numbers rise by 800 per cent from six employees in 2014 to 48 in 2018.

Eddie added: “For regeneration organisations like Harworth here in the North East, new developments are very much dependent upon attracting inward investment rather than speculative build, to deliver long-term growth and sustainability.

“Regeneration of former industrial sites can deliver better social and economic benefits as Waverley has proved, however this approach requires patience, a strategic vision and a level of confidence in those specific areas.

“Harworth is committed to the North East and we can aid the transformation of such areas, their growth potential and their communities for generations to come.”

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