IAMP works rubber-stamped by South Tyneside
Up to 1.8m sq ft of additional employment space at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, close to Nissan, can now proceed. having also been approved by Sunderland City Council.
The two councils are partners in IAMP, an entity that straddles the boundaries between the local authority areas.
With Lichfields engaged as planning advisor, this next phase of works has come forward as a plan to “attract European-scale super-suppliers” in the automotive industry.
South Tyneside’s planning committee last week gave the go-ahead to a hybrid application, as Sunderland had earlier in the month.
The plans cover the “northern employment area” and second half of the IAMP site masterplan.
Effectively this is IAMP Two, a development area which was formerly regarded as a project of national significance, meaning development orders from the Secretary of State were required – however, the partners successfully lobbied for the removal of this classification in 2022.
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On the IAMP One allocation, around 1.8m sq ft has been built out or permitted. The first phase within IAMP One is largely built out, and houses two suppliers to the neighbouring Nissan plant, in SNOP and Faltec.
Phase two of IMAP One includes the Envision AESC gigafactory plant, which was started late last year by contractor Wates – a facility that is expected to serve not just Nissan, but other vehicle manufacturers as they make the switch to electric vehicle production.
The detailed part of the IAMP Two project is all about providing access to new employment space around International Drive, Washington, and includes the dualling of the A1290 between the A19/A1290 Downhill Lane Junction and the southern access from International Drive.
Further infrastructure included in the application is a new access road including a new bridge over the River Don; electricity sub-stations and a pumping station; along with drainage and associated infrastructure, earthworks, landscaping and all incidental works.
All of this will set the scene for the outline part of the application: 1.8m sq ft of industrial space with ancillary office and R&D space, along with the demolition work required to clear the required areas.
As described by Lichfields, IAMP “represents a unique and most important opportunity for the automotive and advanced manufacturing sectors in the UK – delivering a bespoke, world class environment for these sectors”.
