Henry Boot has been appointed as development partner for the £300m International Advanced Manufacturing Park in Sunderland, South Tyneside.
The developer has won the instruction from South Tyneside and Sunderland City Councils to bring forward the 2.8m sq ft park which will target high tech industries and advanced manufacturing occupiers.
The site is proposed for an area close to the A19 and to the north of Nissan’s existing manufacturing plant. The scheme is expected to bring in more than £300m of private sector investment over the next 10 years.
It is anticipated the IAMP will also help secure more automotive supply chain jobs following Nissan’s announcement that the Qashqai and X-Trail replacement models will be manufactured in Sunderland from 2020.
The government has already pledged £42m through the North East Local Enterprise Partnership towards infrastructure at IAMP including new roads, bridges and environmental enhancements. The project will also see contributions from the two local authorities and enterprise zone income in the form of retained business rates.
Sunderland City Council leader Paul Watson said: “The IAMP is one of the most strategically important projects in decades for Sunderland, South Tyneside and the entire North East region.
“With Nissan as a magnet there is huge interest in IAMP and so it is critical that we assemble a team with the expertise to deliver this project.
“We know Henry Boot Developments will be a flexible, responsive partner, as this site will be developed to respond to market demand – and there is already a great deal of interest.”
Henry Boot Developments will provide infrastructure works, such as highways and utilities, and floorspace for accommodation on the site, which is equivalent to more than 100 football pitches. Work could begin next year, subject to further permissions.
First outlined in 2014, the IAMP is a key part of the Sunderland City Deal in Partnership with South Tyneside.
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