Wirral Council has approved plans for a new marine operations and maintenance facility to be built by DONG Energy at Kings Wharf in Seacombe.
The has welcomed the fact that more than 40 skilled jobs will be created at the new facility, which will provide day-to-day monitoring, servicing, maintenance and emergency repair of DONG Energy’s offshore wind farms and associated marine infrastructure.
The development will comprise a new office building, with crew welfare facilities, combined with a warehouse building to store engineering materials and components used in the repair and maintenance of offshore wind farms.
Cllr Phil Davies , Leader of Wirral Council, said: “The benefit to the local economy of having the market-leader locate in the borough shows our Clean Energy Coast investment and jobs plan is working.
“We have worked hard to position Wirral as the leading location for investment in advanced clean-energy manufacturing and offshore-wind, and will continue to support future plans to meet our pledges to increase inward investment and improve opportunities for skilled jobs locally.”
Wirral Council said that DONG Energy’s development is part of its plan to establish Wirral as the Clean Energy Coast , building on the natural advantage of its coastline and recent award as the only area on the west coast of Britain to achieve CORE (Centre for Renewable Energy) status. The council has also secured more than £11 million of Regional Growth Fund to support local businesses in the clean energy sector.
Davies added: “We have worked closely with DONG Energy and others over many months to identify a suitable river-side site for this facility. Alternative sites had been considered in Birkenhead, but were rejected by my council team responding to community concerns, however, we were adamant we would not lose out on attracting this important investment in jobs to the Wirral.”