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A massive multi-million pound offshore wind turbine facility creating hundreds of jobs is being planned for Teesside.

Billingham-based Able UK wants to develop a 72-hectare site on former SSI steelworks land on the banks of the Tees.

The huge investment at South Bank would deliver a vital boost to the Tees economy and could deliver 600 jobs.

The facility would combine assembly, installation and servicing of offshore wind turbines on one super-site.

Giant 1,000-plus tonne sections would arrive on the Tees for assembly before being shipped out.

Details of the project have emerged in early-stage planning documents submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Council.

(Image: Prism Planning)

The document said: "The broad aim of the development is to serve the renewable offshore marine energy sector, which is making a substantial contribution to a new secure, low carbon and balanced energy mix for the UK.

"The sector is currently dominated by offshore wind turbines, which comprise a number of component parts manufactured at different locations by different suppliers.

"These individual parts need to be brought together at a construction port close to their offshore point of installation.

"Given the location of the North Sea offshore wind farms, the application site provides an optimal location for a number of offshore projects."

(Image: Prism Planning)

Able said the planned development will have four main parts: construction of new quays, dredging the Tees to allow deep-water operations, creating an "operational area" and then operation of the site itself.

The scale of the project indicates a potential investment of hundreds of millions of pounds.

The frontage along the South Bank wharf will run for almost 1km.

A 156m high crane, two and a half times the height of the Transporter Bridge will also be installed for the loading and unloading of ships.

Construction of the quay and wider development is expected to take two years with a peak workforce of a further 250 staff.

(Image: Prism Planning)

Able said the development would be primarily used for the installation of foundations and "topsides" for offshore wind turbines.

This will include handling the various sections which makes up the turbines, including the base and blades.

Able says office and welfare accommodation will be provided for 600 workers along with car parking for the same number.

Computer generated images of how the site could look were also including in the firm's planning documents.

The development would form part of the South Tees Development Corporation land and would be bounded by the former SSI coke ovens to the south.

It would provide a huge boost to the regeneration efforts launched after the collapse of SSI in 2015.

A masterplan setting out how £1bn a year could be pumped into the Tees economy by the wider South Tees redevelopment was launched in 2017.

But progress has been hampered over attempts to secure ownership of the former SSI site, with a compulsory purchase process launched earlier this year.

Proposals for a £5bn energy plant and a metals processing facility have already been set out for the site.

A South Tees Development Corporation spokesman said: "The Tees Valley Mayor and the Development Corporation board are working with more than 100 different investors to unlock good-quality jobs on the former Redcar steelworks site.

"Unfortunately we're unable comment on the details of specific projects at this time, although clean growth and offshore wind represents huge opportunities for the future of the site and the wider Tees Valley."

A full planning application could be made later this year.

(Image: Evening Gazette)

The development would also mark a major expansion of Able UK’s Teesside operations.

The business is run by Peter Stephenson, who is one of Teesside’s richest men with an estimated fortune of £468m.

Able already has demolition and marine decommissioning operations at Seaton, Port Clarence and Middlesbrough.

In 2017 it secured the huge contract to dismantle Shell’s 23,500 tonne Brent Delta oil rig at its Seaton port.

It was also responsible for the decommissioning of former US Navy ships at its Graythorp yard, which provoked major controversy in 2003.

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The proposals come as Teesside looks to establish itself as a major player in the offshore wind sector as the UK moves to a low-carbon future.

The huge £3bn Dogger Bank wind farm in the North Sea will deliver more than 5% of the UK's electricity needs and is among the projects which could deliver major jobs and investment.

Teesside already has a manufacturing base in the sector.

EEW OSB makes the striking yellow transition pieces (TP) used as the base for turbines in offshore wind farms at its Haverton Hill base and has secured a string of major contracts.