Yorkshire Energy Park Hull City Council boost.
THE YORKSHIRE ENERGY PARK (YEP) proposal which was first brought to consultation in the South West Holderness area in June 2016 has been boosted by being approved by Hull City Council as part of the wider Humber Freeport development.
In its media statement (26 March 2024) Hull City Council said:
The revised scheme will help to deliver renewable energy, battery storage and state-of-the-art digital infrastructure, as well as space to facilitate research and development in sustainable energy.
This is expected to create around 4,500 jobs, both on and off site as part of the construction phase, for which a target of 80 per cent would be recruited through local employment, bringing a wider impact on the economy.
The commercial arrangements will increase the level of financial benefits to the council in terms of capital receipts and long-term revenue income share.
Not everyone is happy about the green light from Hull for the YEP. There was quite a local debate and an active campaign to oppose the development.
Councillor John Dennis, South West Holderness Ward councillor said yesterday:
“The application submitted was also against the Planning Officers’ recommendations and was strongly resisted by me and many residents. Against all the odds, however, it was eventually approved by the Strategic Planning Committee of the East Riding Council. I hope they will not come to regret the decision. However, it was granted and we have to make the best of it.
“In effect, it could, substantially and permanently, erode the ‘buffer zone’ protecting us from encroachment by future development surrounding the Saltend Chemicals Park, and unless we are very careful, inevitable industrial sprawl.”
Councillor John Dennis
See Councillor Dennis’ full statement:
East Riding of Yorkshire Ward Member for South West Holderness, Councillor John Dennis said:
“As S W Holderness Ward Member and Hedon Town Councillor, I have opposed this scheme actively for over ten years, primarily because it was intended for the 100 acres ‘Aerodrome’ field, (Hull City Council’s land). That land has always been important to local residents as it separates the Town of Hedon from the city’s industrial sprawl. It was ‘Not Allocated for development’ in the so-called sacrosanct 2016 Local Plan.
“The application submitted was also against the Planning Officers’ recommendations and was strongly resisted by me and many residents. Against all the odds, however, it was eventually approved by the Strategic Planning Committee of the East Riding Council. I hope they will not come to regret the decision. However, it was granted and we have to make the best of it.
“In effect, it could, substantially and permanently, erode the ‘buffer zone’ protecting us from encroachment by future development surrounding the Saltend Chemicals Park, and unless we are very careful, inevitable industrial sprawl.
“Of course, there have always been ‘pros and cons’ which the developers have been quick to point out. One important consideration is the creation of much-needed employment opportunities for the Ward and I agree this must be balanced against any loss of identity and encroachment by industry.
“Hedon is reputedly the oldest and therefore the ‘Senior Town in Yorkshire’ and this needs to be taken into account too. We enjoy a rich civic history and do not, at any cost, want to become just another suburb of the city of Hull. We have a far richer historical background and deserve better. Residents have always valued their unique position as being separate and independent of their acquisitive neighbour and that’s why we choose to live here.
“In the major referendum a few years back, 96.5% of the 75% who voted, residents of both sides of the city, rejected the proposed Boundary Changes and chose not to become part of the enlarged city of Hull. I know that as a fact because I ran the campaign to raise the profile of the referendum. It was essential that our voice was heard.
“Interesting to note that, during this present period of relative inactivity, there seems to be no movement towards the relocation of the sporting facilities. When it does start it won’t be achieved overnight, more like two or three years and there won’t be a brick laid for many years to come. If ever!”
Who is behind the Yorkshire Energy Park?
The proposal was first brought to public attention in 2016 and led by a consortium of the Sewell Group, MS3 Networks and development company the Chiltern Group. The current list of shareholders is listed on the YEP website as Sewell Investments, ECO Parks Developments Ltd., Vital Energi and New Technology Developments Ltd.
We looked at these companies on the Companies House website and found:
- Patrick Allen Sewell was the person with overall significant control at Sewells.
- Vital Chiltern Investments was the company with control at ECO Parks Developments Ltd. Benjamin Matthew Tarbotton is an ECO company director and also a director at MS3 Networks. MS3’s founder, Antony Hales, is also a company director. Gary John Fielding is a director and is also a director at various Chiltern and Vital companies.
- Vital Holdings Limited was in control of Vital Energi which, in turn, is controlled by Corran Environmental Ii Lp and Gary John Fielding.
- Vital Chiltern Investments Ltd and Christopher Gerald Turner control New Technology Developments Ltd.
Residents will no doubt be watching the emerging practical developments with interest.
45 pence per mile is the figure we are allowed to claim and I think it’s been that amount all the time I’ve been a Councillor (13 years this month – where did that go ?!)
Just for the record, I haven’t made an expenses claim since the beginning of Covid (2020)
Considering the cost of everything these last few years forty-five pence per mile is peanuts and doesn’t reflect the actual maintenance cost. There will be a few heads being scratched when Hull eventually has themselves organised because Holderness will have to find extra school places for the new workers children and the sewage board will have to plan for more reed beds to cleans the extra sewage. I hope Preston council have set out in writing what type of building structures they will not accept in their parish. .
Best wishes,
Rena McCarthy (Crum)
Why should these large, private companies be allowed to do what they want and where they want with the baseline always being about sheer profits, always with many ‘promises’ of potential employment during development etc?
Some English councils have already admitted bankruptcy. Hull Council are desperate to have more income, thus I doubt they will give up this plot of land even though it is outside their jurisdiction. For instance, at one time the farming village of Marfleet and others were also outside of Hull boundaries . In the early part of this century I was writing up my son’s accounts and when checking for costs allowed for business motor allowances, I found some councils were handing over between £8. and £11 per mile, (Hull workers and councillors were amongst them) whilst the official tax allowance was only £0..45 pence per mile.. During this time I noted that the East Riding Council had a costly solicitor, thus I’m surprised he hasn’t been ahead of the game where this situation is concerned.
“Is Hull City Council in debt?
Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) showed Hull City Council’s debts totalled £585,402,000, while East Riding Council owes £404,079,000. Hull’s debt per person figure is well above the national average of £1,455, while the East Riding’s is slightly below, at £1,178.29 Jan 2024”
Regards, Rena McCarthy (Crum)
rena.mackenzie@outlook.com