Significant interest from businesses is now being shown in the South Humber Bank, as a huge development project to help create thousands of jobs is brought forward.
Interim director for economy and growth, Clive Tritton, has underlined the momentum building as the 拢42 million flagship scheme from local authority North East Lincolnshire Council progresses.
South Humber Industrial Investment Programme brings together infrastructure, land access and environmental mitigation to make 鈥榦ven-ready鈥 opportunities between the ports of Grimsby and Immingham.
Now six months into the role vacated when Angela Blake left for Huddersfield, Mr Tritton believes the innovative approach to helping businesses to plan, build and grow will ensure the future prosperity of the borough.
鈥淭he investment in South Humber Industrial Investment Programme is really exciting,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the driver behind the new link road between Immingham and Grimsby ports, the establishment of a number of enterprise zones, and new infrastructure at Stallingborough, which will increase the availability of development land.
鈥淚nvestors can clearly see that there鈥檚 aspiration to support investment and we are starting to see massive investment interest as a result of this pro-active work.鈥
It incorporates the largest ready-made mitigation project of its kind in Europe, as well as a new business park just off the A180. And it isn鈥檛 just the council鈥檚 commitments in concrete and cress marsh that Mr Tritton believes will win a bigger business share, with a burgeoning sector and innovative partnership work helping.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fair to say that when I came here, my perceptions of the Humber as a business location were probably very different from the reality,鈥 the passionate Geordie who has spent much of his career in London said.
鈥淚 might have thought: 鈥榦ld coal port, fishing port, probably struggling鈥︹ and I couldn鈥檛 have been more wrong. In my first six months here, I have seen the opportunity first-hand.
鈥淗ere we have two thriving ports with huge opportunity across a wide range of sectors and we are leading the way in probably the fastest growing sector in the country, offshore wind. 鈥淥ur economic strategy looks to facilitate growth in those sectors also, whether logistics, food, advanced materials and engineering, or offshore energy.鈥
Mr Tritton is especially passionate about what he says is North East Lincolnshire Council鈥檚 forward-thinking approach to attracting new business, be it SHIIP or support.
鈥淥ur inward investment team pulls together people across the council and Engie, our regeneration partner, to support new businesses,鈥 he said. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e working with an investor, we鈥檒l have conversations on their behalf with planning, highways and others, breaking down any barriers in advance.
鈥淥ur senior management team is also committed to creating pathways for business to flourish here. We have very strong relationships with North Lincolnshire and the other boroughs, so we鈥檙e in tune with the regional support that鈥檚 available. On top of that, there鈥檚 a strong relationship with government through the Town Deal. This relationship is really driving forward growth across greater Grimsby, and means we can move nimbly whether locally, regionally or nationally.
鈥淲e have some real selling points that other areas don鈥檛 in terms of the availability and affordability and clearly offshore wind is a huge area we have to capitalise on, and we鈥檙e absolutely determined to do that.
鈥淔or us it鈥檚 also about the supporting infrastructure, whether that鈥檚 practical investment like housing and transport, or supporting skills in the region. These are very highly skilled jobs and we鈥檙e fortunate to have a skills base that supports that, but we need to keep developing it.鈥
Ground-breaking conference to bring north's political and business leaders together
A ground-breaking conference in Hull is set to bring the north's political and business leaders together to discuss the future strategy for energy and clean growth.
Taking place at the Bonus Arena in Hull, the Energy & Clean Growth in the Northern Powerhouse is a two-day conference and exhibition that will run from November 5 to 6.
Led by the NP11 - a collaboration of the eleven Northern Local Enterprise Partnerships covering 76 local authorities - the free conference will showcase the innovation, leadership and opportunities across the North of England in energy, decarbonisation, transition and clean growth.
