A KEY CONSULTATION which could have a massive impact on Hedon is currently underway. One of the proposals is to increase the employment land provision in the East Riding – principally through making Hedon Haven available for development by the renewable and low carbon energy industries.
The consultation on the East Riding Council’s Local Development Framework, which started on the 31st October, has raised the prospect of transforming the local economy through the renewable industries sector – particularly the development of offshore wind farms and the supply chain it would need to support it.
A 80 hectare site between Saltend and Paull has already been identified as a reserve site for the Humber Enterprise Zone. However, the current consultation proposes that the land made available for employment should increase to approximately 200 hectares and would include land at Hedon Haven.
“It is estimated that the requirement for land at Hedon Haven for uses associated with the growth of the renewable and low carbon energy sector, or requiring access to the deep water estuarial channel, will amount to around 200ha. This, in part, reflects the ‘land hungry’ nature of off-shore renewable energy businesses, which stems from the significant size of the turbines and components that need to stored and assembled. It also results from the necessity to ensure that there is a flexible supply of land in this location that can meet the requirements of a range of different businesses, and the need to provide certainty to prospective investors that their long term business plans could be met within in the Humber LEP area.” East Riding Employment Land Review
This is a dramatic development as far as Hedon is concerned that can bring both unique opportunities but also unique problems to the town. Previous consultations have referred to Hedon as a key and strategic employment site of potential regional and national importance through “port-related economic development” but the current proposals are much more specific in scope.
A pop-in consultation session about this will be taking place in Hedon Library on Tuesday 29th November 2011 from 2:30pm – 6:30pm.
More information is available from East Riding Council’s Consultation Website. Visit: http://consult.eastriding.gov.uk/portal/forward_planning/core/csfc
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Just to remind readers that the consultation on the Local Development Framework ends on Monday 19th December 2011 – if you wish to make your views known then you will have to be quick!