News
£ 60m Hillthorn Park plans move forward – 1,600 jobs could be created
Plans for a significant regeneration
scheme that could create around 1,600 new jobs in Sunderland have taken a step forward .
Backed by Legal & General , the site of the former Hillthorn Farm will see £ 60m of investment through the creation of a highquality business park .
The park will create space for industrial , storage and distribution businesses , and support Sunderland ’ s economic growth , with the site expected to create 620,000 sq ft of business premises .
A range of technical studies are currently being prepared on the 25-hectare site in Washington , and once complete , they will support a planning application , which if approved could see development start on site as soon as 2021 .
Public consultation to seek the views of local residents got underway in October .
The business park will sit alongside the existing Vantec operation which has been on site since 2016 and if all goes to plan could be built out by 2023 .
Councillor Graeme Miller , leader of Sunderland City Council , said : “ We have developed a strong partnership with Legal & General in Sunderland .
“ We are seeing that come to fruition very quickly on Riverside Sunderland , and expect Hillthorn Park to move ahead with the same pace and vigour as the city centre .
“ We know residents are delighted to see this site being developed in a way that will create jobs and prosperity , and we ’ re pleased to be working with Legal & General to move this forward .”
Hillthorn Park is an allocated employment site , which means it has been earmarked for development for some time .
Legal & General ’ s proposals will accelerate the transformation of the Washington site , part of which has already been designated Enterprise Zone status , identified by the government and the North-East Local Enterprise Partnership ( LEP ) in 2012 as key locations for new economic development .
Paul Edwards , director of asset management at LGIM Real Assets , said : “ We are moving forward at pace with our plans for Hillthorn Park , which we know will bring opportunity to local businesses and people , something we are absolutely committed to .
“ We understand Sunderland ’ s vision and we support it . Developments like this will complement the existing economy in the city , creating speculative space that we know will appeal to the market . We ’ re delighted to be delivering this scheme in the North-East .”
The site ’ s status as an Enterprise Zone brought with it major investment – through funding from central government , the North-East LEP and the European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF ) – in new infrastructure and enabling works , which will enable the rapid delivery of the development , ensuring Hillthorn is ready for immediate economic development .
Helen Golightly , chief executive of the North East LEP , said : “ The North-East is an incredible place to do business , and having the right infrastructure in place allows us to send a clear message to the market .
“ We are open for business . Hillthorn Park will represent a fabulous inward investment opportunity for this region when it opens , creating new jobs for local people .”
BUSINESS BRIEFS
£ 400K FUNDING FOR PLEXUS The Finance Durham Fund has invested £ 150,000 alongside the North East Venture Fund in technology provider Plexus Innovation .
Plexus has developed " Guardian " – a remote , automated measurement and alert system that focuses on environmental data including temperature – and has been boosted with a total of £ 400k of investment , with £ 250k from Mercia adding to Finance Durham ’ s input .
NEW HOMES TO BE BUILT A Sunderland housebuilder has announced that work has begun on two housing sites . Work on Gentoo Homes ’ new sites in Doxford Park and Chester Road had been temporarily delayed due to the impact of coronavirus , but is now set to begin , with more than 200 homes to be built .
SAM FUND EXTENDED Manufacturers across the North-East are set to receive a major boost , after one of the region ’ s largest investment programmes secured a further £ 6m in funding .
The Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing Project ( SAM ) – originally part-funded by ERDF and the University of Sunderland – was launched in 2018 in a bid to help businesses become more productive and sustainable by supporting projects that enhance their products , processes and technology .
It has so far provided £ 800,000 in matched-funding – as well as practical and research support to over 200 SMEs across the region – and is set to continue to 2023 after securing a further £ 6m .
TOTAL TAKEOVER A facilities management firm has announced that it has acquired a local competitor in a six-figure deal .
Maxim Facilities Management , based in Sunderland , has bought Total Facilities Management ( NE ), which specialises in providing daily contract cleaning services for a wide range of commercial clients in Tyne and Wear , Northumberland and County Durham .
All the members of Total ’ s 150-strong team have been added to the Maxim workforce to take it past the 1,500 mark .
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