North Lincolnshire Council has announced ambitions for a ‘Green Growth Zone’, suggesting it could create thousands of engineering jobs.
The plan, at proposal stage currently, focuses on enhancing the renewable energy sector, fast-tracking advanced manufacturing and support for innovation. This includes research into hydrogen-injected blast furnaces at the steelworks.
The production of good quality UK green steel is a targeted outcome of the Green Growth Zone. The proposal comes a month after senior councillors highlighted a local planning reform survey that suggested mixed views on onshore wind and solar farms.
“This is about more than just infrastructure; it’s about creating a better future for communities,” said North Lincolnshire Council leader Cllr Rob Waltham. “The Green Growth Zone is an ambitious plan to deliver high-quality jobs, drive innovation, and secure new opportunities for residents.
“While we are still at the proposal stage, the ambition is clear – North Lincolnshire will be a place where green energy and advanced manufacturing lead the way, offering sustainable futures for generations to come.” He added it was “a unique opportunity” to capitalise on the region’s energy and industrial strengths, and invest in technologies and sustainability.
The proposed Zone has themes underpinning it:
- Innovation and research in hydrogen-injected blast furnace steel production
- Investments in the South Humber Bank Quay and broader Strategic Employment Site Allocation
- Development of advanced manufacturing to support game-changing sectors in energy
- Creating a circular economy to sustain green energy and manufacturing industries.
The decision record for the proposal adds another element to potential future council investment, investing in British Steel, including a plate mill. The zone would have six intended outcomes, including Humberside Airport optimisation, high-level skilled jobs for local people, and diversification of the economy.
“We have a great deal of support from previous governments to invest in the infrastructure to create the foundations for this growth,” said Cllr Waltham. He added: “Now we are in a position to deliver, but we need ongoing government support.”
Documents linked to the proposal highlight the opportunity for a new green energy and manufacturing cluster in Greater Lincolnshire and the Humber. The Green Growth Zone’s executive summary also puts renewable energy front and centre in its first sentence: “The renewable energy sector is pivotal in regenerating the UK economy by driving sustainable growth and creating new job opportunities.”
Last month, the council’s cabinet discussed the local authority’s survey of proposed national planning reforms, which had a little under a thousand responses. The planning reforms include greater support for onshore wind and solar farms, which Labour Cllr Max Bell said they backed.
The local survey, criticised by the opposition Labour group as having leading questions, found 53 per cent did not support more onshore renewable energy through wind and solar in open countryside. This was highlighted by Cllr David Rose, cabinet member for environment and strategy, who also noted survey feedback for solar panels on new buildings.
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Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
