Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has unveiled plans to develop a new quay at the South Bank on the River Tees to help make Teesside the UK’s premier offshore wind location. More than EUR 100 million has been made available for the development project.  

The new South Bank Quay will transform a 1-kilometre area along the River Tees, providing direct access into the heart of 500 acres of development land and thousands more across the wider Teesworks site.

The new heavy-lift quay will provide crucial access from the River Tees to the 4.5 million square feet of manufacturing, storage and office space on South Bank, which the mayor hopes will be used for the production of offshore wind turbines for some of the biggest wind farms in the world.

Work is due to begin in August 2021 and expected to be completed by the end of 2022, in time for exporting wind turbines to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which will become the world’s largest offshore wind farm capable of powering 4.5 million homes.

Phase one of the project will see 450 metres of the new quay facility built. The second phase of works will see an additional 600 metres of quay being developed.

As part of the new facility, an EUR 12 million 50-metre wide heavy-duty hardstanding loading facility will be created and primed to support logistics and manufacturers including in the offshore wind industry.

Mayor Houchen said: “I am delighted to be able to unveil these plans. This huge area of unused land is in such a unique location and has so much potential to help us transform the whole of the Teesworks site into a global logistics and manufacturing centre, creating thousands of well-paid jobs for local people.”