Energy park team share their vision after listening to public views.

The team behind the proposed Yorkshire Energy Park has unveiled further plans of how the site could look as part of a second round of public consultation sessions.

If planning officials give the go-ahead next year, the development will be on the former Hedon aerodrome site within the boundary of Preston village, to the west of Hedon, and bring energy, data and education together with businesses in a first for Yorkshire.

The scheme could create up to 700 jobs, generating significant economic impact and attracting businesses to the area.

Yorkshire-based developer Sewell and Hessle based telecommunications company MS3 Networks have partnered with investment and development company Chiltern Group to form the joint venture company to deliver the proposed scheme.

A series of public drop-in sessions are being held in Preston, Hedon, Paull and Thorgumbald this week to share the latest proposals and answer any questions about the plans.

It comes after the first round of consultation in July, which saw the public provide feedback and offer their views, helping to shape the plans as they move forward.

Rob Cawkwell, Project Director from Sewell Investments, said: “In July, we discussed the proposals with the public without drawings or a master plan because we wanted their views to help shape the development.

“We are continuing to listen and we know residents are very keen to keep the green space between the Saltend roundabout and the approach into Hedon, so we have taken that on board by positioning everything to the west of the site. We are developing less than half of the overall site.

“The plans include creating a number of picturesque park routes and walkways to run through and alongside the site. One of the parks will ensure the proposed development is screened from the east, providing a soft, landscaped edge and an area which is natural and organic in character.

“We have also been very sensitive towards the ecology and the area will be carefully managed to protect the species and protect their existing habitats.

“The master plan takes into account the full site, rather than just the proposed development area, and highlights which parts will not be developed, only enhanced for local residents.”

The proposed development includes an energy campus, which will use clean power sources to generate electricity for the site occupiers, with any surplus being fed back into the National Grid, an education, training and research campus, data centre, storage and distribution facilities, and industrial business park facilities targeted at end users with energy and data requirements.

In addition, more than 40 sporting teams incorporating over 1,000 participants from three local clubs will benefit from brand new purpose-built facilities in the first phase of the development, if the plans are approved.

Rob said: “The current premises are not fit-for-purpose and do not provide what modern sporting teams need. The new proposed premises would open up many more doors to the community for years to come.”

Gordon Wilson, Chair of Eastside Community Sports Trust, which is the main base for the local sporting clubs, said he was pleased with the open dialogue between the Trust and the Yorkshire Energy Park Team, and the support offered under the plans.

He said: “It’s been very, very positive as far as the Trust is concerned. They want to work with us and we are happy to work with them. They want to benefit the community.

“We have the best part of 1,000 kids there at the moment. The building itself is dilapidated and we have run it completely voluntarily between six of us since 2008. It’s getting harder and harder all the time.

“If we can get new facilities for the kids down there now and for everybody in the future, we support it. There are no two ways about it. Under the plans, we could attract other sports which we have had to turn away, such as wheelchair football and ladies’ netball.”

James Baron, 36, who lives in Hedon, said he too supports the plans.

“It will be a benefit to the community long-term, both from a job creation perspective and increasing skills and opportunities for people in the area.

“It’s not just for this generation, but for future generations too. At the same time, the community gets better sporting facilities and it makes use of an area that’s not really serving a purpose at the moment.”

 

Following the first public consultation session at Eastside Community Sports Trust on Monday, October 3, further events are planned:

Tuesday 4th October

4pm-7.30pm

Preston Community Hall, Main Street, Preston, HU12 8SA

 

Friday 7th October

3pm-7.30pm

Church Room (St Augustine’s), Magdalen Gate, Hedon, HU12 8JP

 

Tuesday 11th October

4pm-7.30pm

Paull Village Hall, Main Street, Paull, HU12 8AW

 

Thursday 13th October

4pm-7.30pm

Thorngumbald Village Hall, Main Road, Thorngumbald, HU12 9NG