A PIONEERING venture is being launched which aims to consolidate the North East's pole position for development and training in the low carbon vehicle industry.

Gateshead College and regional development agency One North East are joining forces to create a new open-access test track facility.

The test track and workshop building at Nissan Sunderland Plant has been signed over to Gateshead College on a 20-year lease allowing the facilities to be used commercially.

One North East is investing £2.4m to fund the lease, the refurbishment of the on-site workshop and the initial running costs of the new facility, transforming the centre into a hub for low carbon vehicle development.

The centre will be the only one of its kind in Europe linked to a training facility. The £8.4m Skills Academy for Sustainable Manufacturing and Innovation is under construction at the same site and will also be run by Gateshead College.

Companies, academic institutes and researchers in the low carbon vehicle industry will be able to hire the test track and workshop on a shared or exclusive basis.

The test track is 3km long, has two straights which are each 1km long, a helipad, a range of road surfaces, and facilities for gradient testing and water testing.

The centre is intended to become an internationally-recognised, self-sustaining facility that will be run on a commercial basis and enable the industry to develop and grow in the North East.