£130m subsea cable manufacturing facility set for approval

Plans for a new subsea cable manufacturing facility in Northumberland have been recommended for approval.JDR Cable Systems, part of the TFK Group, is seeking planning permission for the scheme on land to the north of the former Blyth Power Station in Cambois.As well as the factory, which will extend to almost 600,000 sq ft, the plans envisage ancillary offices and outdoor cable storage.The initial project investment is estimated at £130m, which will be part-funded by a grant from the BEIS Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support scheme. JDR and TFK plans to raise the remaining funding with support expected from financial institutions and UK Export Finance.Subject to planning approval, construction is expected to begin this year ahead of a 2024 opening, creating 207 jobs on completion and safeguarding 270 jobs at JDR’s existing facilities.Further stages of the development could result in more than 400 staff working at the site, with supplied products complementing JDR’s existing capacity provided by the company’s Hartlepool and Littleport UK manufacturing centers.The application has been recommended for approval, subject to conditions, ahead of a Northumberland County Council planning meeting tomorrow (7 June).