MEETINGS with involved parties will be held in the coming days to thrash out the two "small matters" that separate the Humber from realising much of its energy estuary dream.
The future of a disused railway branch line and assurances about compensation habitats are matters than can be addressed to give what is hoped will be smooth final passage for Able Marine Energy Park at North Killingholme, according to developer Able UK and North Lincolnshire Council.
Yesterday's confirmation that the Under Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker, is "minded to approve the project" was tempered with a further delay until December 18 to allow for the remaining issues with the 906-acre site to be resolved, as first reported on www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk
With industry-wide unrelated delays over policy and subsidy, group development director Neil Etherington, while frustrated, is not concerned about the impact another few months will have on a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," of bringing forward the renewable energy focused port facility of monumental scale.
"It is obviously good news that the panel which carried out the very detailed and complex examination of our application recommended granting consent," he said. "Ministers do recognise the regeneration and economic benefits for both the local area and the wider development of the offshore renewable energy industry.
"At the same time it has to be said that a further delay is disappointing."
The original recommendation, until yesterday confidential, was given in February, with an original decision anticipated in May, and then July.
"One has to wonder why the issues relating to the concerns of Natural England and the question of protecting future operations of the Killingholme branch railway could not have been dealt with at the same time," he said.
"This application has been under consideration for around four years and, as part of the planning process, we have put forward measures to spend over £35-million protecting wildlife and the environment.
"We will be taking immediate steps to address the issues raised and sincerely hope that there will be no further delays."
Unperturbed by the issues raised, Marcus Walker, head of planning and regeneration at North Lincolnshire Council, said: "It is very good news that the Secretary of State has given a clear indication where he wants to go with the application. We now need to tie up a couple of loose ends.
"There are two issues, one is the unused little branch line, so we need to talk to Network Rail to resolve that, and the second is the black tailed godwit, on which £35-million has already been spent with a compensation scheme on the north bank.
"We have to have further discussions with Natural England to convince them further on the practicality of delivering that site. We will work alongside Able on that. We have worked with them for the last five years and we will continue to do so to bring these small matters to a close."
A response has been requested by the Department for Transport by September 25, addressing a "substantial risk of ecological compensation measures not working", and that the project will "not jeopardise any future operations of the Killingholme Branch railway" – last used in 2005. This response will then be published, with comments invited over a further month. Mr Baker will then consider it all before reaching a final decision.
In reaching his position, Mr Baker was said to recognise "the project would play a part in ensuring the security of energy supplies by contributing to the development of renewable energy in the form of offshore wind; it would support economic growth by creating a new cluster of offshore energy businesses in and around the development; and would help to meet the expected substantial demand for port capacity to support the offshore wind industry". 'Giant step forward'
AREA politicians have welcomed the Government's stance moving forward.
Constituency MP Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes & Immingham) has championed it together with fellow South Bank MPs, the two local authorities and the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, throughout.
He said: "It is a giant step forward. In effect the minister has given his agreement subject to two issues. Able UK is reasonably confident they can resolve the issues.
"It is another show of confidence by the Government in northern Lincolnshire and the Humber region. It has been a long battle but we are almost there now.
The Secretary of State also acknowledges 9,000 potential jobs, which as a figure, no-one has contested. That is a massive boost for the area."
Councillor Liz Redfern, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: "I take this as a major leap forward in the creation of Able Marine Energy Park. It is subject to a couple of issues being resolved, but I am confident that these can be sorted in time.
"This project will well and truly unlock the economic potential of this area and will have a major impact on local industry; creating thousands more jobs."
Editor's Comment News today that the £450 million Able UK marine energy park plan has once again been put on hold is not too disappointing, as the announcement came with the strongest hint yet that Under Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker MP, could grant the necessary permission. The issues that have led to a third delay to a scheme that could create thousands of jobs are not insurmountable, but it is frustrating that the project has been delayed still further. But let's keep the champagne on ice! Meanwhile, the topic of fracking – another method being looked at to meet our future energy supplies – is discussed on today's Business Telegraph Extra spread. Would you welcome it in North East Lincolnshire or, as with many things, would we prefer watch from a safe distance? We may not know, yet, whether the method of injecting high-pressure water, sand and chemicals into shale rock in order to release gases offers a cheap, domestic solution to the UK's future energy needs. Or what real risks are linked to it. What is certain is that fracking is firmly on the UK political agenda, and this will not be the last we have heard of it.
Editor's Comment News today that the £450 million Able UK marine energy park plan has once again been put on hold is not too disappointing, as the announcement came with the strongest hint yet that Under Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker MP, could grant the necessary permission. The issues that have led to a third delay to a scheme that could create thousands of jobs are not insurmountable, but it is frustrating that the project has been delayed still further. But let's keep the champagne on ice! Meanwhile, the topic of fracking – another method being looked at to meet our future energy supplies – is discussed on today's Business Telegraph Extra spread. Would you welcome it in North East Lincolnshire or, as with many things, would we prefer watch from a safe distance? We may not know, yet, whether the method of injecting high-pressure water, sand and chemicals into shale rock in order to release gases offers a cheap, domestic solution to the UK's future energy needs. Or what real risks are linked to it. What is certain is that fracking is firmly on the UK political agenda, and this will not be the last we have heard of it.
