The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Eric Pickles) decision to grant Able Marine Energy Park Development a Consent Order (13th January 2014) was challenged by Associated British Ports earlier on this year.
The order grants Able Humber Ports Limited (Able) development consent for a £450 million Marine Energy park on the south bank of the Humber Estuary at North Killingholme, including a 1279 metre quayside and construction facilities behind the quay.
As a result a joint Parliamentary committee was set up to consider the case petitioned by Associated British Ports and commenced taking evidence from both parties on October 15th.
The Joint parliamentary committee chaired by Rt Hon. the Viscount Ullswater LVO (Nicholas Lowther), and included Lord Armstrong of Ilminster (Crossbench), Paul Bloomfield (Labour), Dr Matthew Offord (Conservative) Lord Palnt of Highfield (Labour), and Craig Whittaker (Conservative). The majority of the hearing was open to the public.
Associated British Ports is upset over Able Port's application. As part of the proposed development, to compulsory purchase plots of land already in the possession of the Associated British Ports Immingham estate. Associated British Ports also expressed concern over the potential interference to the Killingholme Branch railway (part of the National rail network) that runs over the proposed development even though this rail link is currently not in use.
Much of the focus was over the length of the quayside proposed and ABP was seeking to have this reduced by nearly 300 metres. Able Ports argued that a quay of this length would allow them to service up to six customers simultaneously and therefore essential to their plan.
ABP also accused the Secretary of State of failing to meet the required conditions necessary to give such consent.
The Joint Committee, after hearing the petitioner's case for seven days, decided that the applicant did not have a case to answer.
They will be making a short report shortly and the Order will then come into force.
Peter Stephenson, Able Executive Chairman, had previously stated: “For a sector where proximity to market means everything to everyone, it makes sense to offer a big space in the right place, with substantial quays built to accommodate the deployment of large industrial components to the North Sea and beyond – all this, in the heart of the largest offshore wind market in the world.”
According to Able Ports, the £450m AMEP project is set to create over 4,100 direct jobs and is seen as vital to the plans for growing the Humber as the UK’s Energy Estuary. AMEP has been designed following extensive liaison with the offshore wind industry, will offer 1,289m of new heavy duty deep water quays and 366.7 hectares (906 acres) of developable land. It is designed specifically for the marine renewable sector providing a multi-user facility for the manufacture, storage, assembly and deployment of next generation offshore wind turbines and their associated supply chains.
