Peel Ports Pledges Big Effort in Replacing Vestas at Sheerness, UK

Peel Ports Group, owner of the Port of Sheerness in Kent, has moved quickly to pledge a major effort in securing a replacement for Vestas, following a decision not to take up the option to locate a major wind turbine manufacturing facility at the port.

Peel Ports and Vestas jointly announced last week that the Danish firm’s planned creation of a major European-scale manufacturing plant would not now proceed.

However Mark Whitworth, chief executive of the UK’s second-largest ports group, said his company was “100% committed” to finding a replacement, describing the Sheerness facility as “absolutely tailor-made” for major renewables manufacturing.

Whitworth said: “Everyone involved is bitterly disappointed, but our aim of delivering a world-class renewables manufacturing operation at Sheerness is very much alive.

“There are very few locations which can compete with the offering at Sheerness for such significant manufacturing operations.

“Our confidence is based on a number of factors – ideal geographical location, superb marine facilities, availability of major parcels of land and, crucially, the recent approval by Swale Borough Council’s planning committee. Indeed, the site ticks all the boxes from a planning, technical, commercial and legal standpoint, making it a very compelling proposition to other manufacturers.

“To a large degree, the detailed preparation has already been done on this site and we’re committed to identifying a replacement operator who can take advantage of the fact that the Port of Sheerness is now tailor-made to play a leading role in this vital industry.”

Among the advantages of Sheerness are:

• Water depth 12m with no beam, height or lock restrictions
• Close proximity to key Round 3 offshore wind zones and Continental projects
• Planning permission for upgrading marine infrastructure
• Outline planning permission for 175,450 m sq of buildings with eaves height to 35m
• Excellent access to offshore wind projects taking place off the UK east and south coasts as well as Dutch, Belgian and French projects
• Excellent access to London and local skills base with established skills and supply chain support programmes
• Area: Up to 70ha available in 2013 with additional land available in the port and a range of sites within close proximity
• Quay: 800m continuous with strength tested to 40 t/sq m
• Awarded Government CORE status (Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering) offering comprehensive support

Last year’s announcement of the original 12-month option agreement outlined plans for the new manufacturing facility in Kent on the Isle of Sheppey. The proposed factory on the 170-acre site in the Port of Sheerness was projected to employ 2,000 people.

Whitworth said a great deal of the credit for achieving the progress to date had to go to the local authorities and enterprise agencies.

He said: “Developments of this scale are invariably extremely complex, however the efforts of Kent County Council, Swale Borough Council, Locate in Kent and Thames Gateway Kent Partnership have been superb.

“They have demonstrated a really positive-can-do approach throughout the entire planning process and their attitude to securing a world-class manufacturing facility at Sheerness has been magnificent. This spirit of co-operation bodes well in our efforts to identify and secure a replacement.

 “We are now engaged in a worldwide exercise with our public and private sector partners to approach the key renewable manufacturers, highlighting the many benefits of Sheerness.”

Details of Swale Borough Council Planning Committee approval:

• Consent: Obtained for the manufacturing, assembly and storage of blades, nacelles and towers and subsequent construction activities. Consent includes:
• Outline consent for 175,450 m sq of buildings with eaves height to 35m
• Outline consent for 391, 435 m sq of storage area
• Full consent for strengthening/infilling/dredging existing quay structures, new marine structure berth with travelling crane
• Full consent to relocate existing car terminal

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Offshore WIND staff, July 4, 2012; Image: Peel