The North East Local Enterprise Partnership has awarded £2.6 million from the  North East Investment Fund for the Blyth Workspace, a landmark office development that will help attract key offshore and marine businesses to the area.

The government is committed to investing in key sector where the UK can compete in the global economy such as offshore wind. In the next 7 years it is expected to create over 30,000 more jobs.  Five Enterprise Zones, including North Eastern are at the forefront of those ambitions.

The development will be built at the North Eastern Enterprise Zone site in Blyth, which offers added benefits for investors. Commissioners Quay is close to the world renowned National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) and the Port of Blyth, Northumberland, both pivotal to the region’s offshore energy market.

Blyth Workspace will offer over 30,000 sq ft of office space in a four storey office block with flexible terms for inward investors.

Michael Bellamy, North East LEP board member and general manager of Cramlington-based PII Pipeline Solutions, said:

“This is an important new development for Northumberland and the wider LEP area. It fits the LEP’s priorities well, by assisting in the development of the Enterprise Zone site at the Port of Blyth and bringing superb office space close to the waterfront, designed to attract new inward investors in the offshore, marine and energy sectors. The North East Investment Fund is ideal for projects such as this, which aim to regenerate and attract new life, jobs and investment to underused land.”

Andrew Mill, Narec’s chief executive said:

“Narec’s facilities are world-class and we are working with the LEP and others to galvanise manufacturers, suppliers and the whole river system to service the offshore energy sector.

“We are now ensuring we have our assets in place, such as Blyth Workspace, so we can attract international manufacturers into the UK. The knock-on effect of that will create opportunities for suppliers to set up close by, which will stimulate serial manufacturing on our rivers.”

Blyth Workspace is the centrepiece of a wider mixed use scheme at the Commissioners Quay site being developed by Arch, the Northumberland development company. Construction of Blyth Workspace will begin in winter 2013 and be completed in 2015.

More information on North Eastern Enterprise Zone