"Mammoth" Teesworks wind turbine factory secures planning permission

Plans to create a “mammoth” wind turbine blade factory set to create thousands of jobs have officially been approved.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has today (13 September) granted planning permission for the construction of the new facility at the Teesworks.

The factory will cover 76,200 sq m, will be in the South Bank zone of the Teesworks site and is set to be completed in 2023, creating more than 2,000 jobs.

It will be operated by LM Wind Power - a GE Renewable Energy business - producing its 107-metre-long offshore wind turbine blades.

Ben Houchen, mayor of Tees Valley commented: “It’s fantastic news that this mammoth project has passed the planning hurdle and is on course to be up and running by 2023, helping to create thousands of well-paid, good-quality jobs for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool both directly and in our brilliant supply chain businesses.

“We have been working hard to get the land ready for this exciting opportunity and now GE Renewable Energy can get the spades in the ground to make this a reality, bringing a much-needed boost to the construction sector as we recover our economy from the coronavirus pandemic.

“I want Teesside to be as synonymous with clean energy and Net Zero as Silicon Valley is for tech and social media, and from offshore wind to hydrogen fuels of the future we’re powering ahead like no other region in the country.”

Olivier Fontan, president and CEO of LM Wind Power, said: “We are delighted to have received this important approval from the Local Planning Authorities and are thankful for the collaboration between all parties involved, including Teesworks and the South Tees Development Corporation.

“There is still a lot of work in front of us but this an important milestone for the construction and future opening of the facility. We are proud of the contribution we will be making in rejuvenating this industrial cluster and helping it play a key role in future of renewable energy.”