North East competes with Humberside over new Siemens plant

Mar 30 2010 By Adrian Pearson, The Journal

THE North East was last night placed in direct competition with Humberside in a multi-million pound bid to attract hundreds of jobs at a new wind turbine production factory.

Manufacturing company Siemens has revealed plans to build an £80m wind turbine factory on the East Coast, creating around 700 jobs. As many as 1,500 jobs could be created in the supply chain.

But energy bosses say they are unlikely to make a decision until they know where the majority of the Chancellor’s £60m port investment fund will be spent. Alastair Darling announced the fund in his Budget last week, a move which some say could be a "mixed blessing" for the region.

Businesses in Humberside are working with port authorities and their regional minister Rosie Winterton to secure as much of the £60m as possible.

It is thought Humberside is desperate to secure the investment as part of a £100m infrastructure bill needed to attract Siemens.

In Tyneside much of the infrastructure is available already but there are concerns the region could not as easily find the space for another large factory.

Siemens has said its new factory will likely be built on the banks of whichever river attracts the most investment.

As a result Ms Winterton, the minister in charge of regional development agencies and an MP for Doncaster Central, will face up to North East regional minister Nick Brown over the £80m factory.

The Newcastle East and Wallsend MP has lent his backing to hopes for a Siemens factory on Tyneside. He said: "I think our ports and facilities here are a great offer and I look forward to a bid from the North East.

"We have already attracted offshore wind turbines here and we have room in the region for more.

"Our case is very strong, we will continue to back it, and we will leave no potential support unexplored, including this new port development money which is there to bid for."