Great Boost for Aycliffe’s Future
At last the Department for Transport has signed the deal with Hitachi Rail Europe to bring a high tech rail assembly plant to Newton Aycliffe.
Durham County Council Leader, Cllr Simon Henig, said: “This is a hugely significant moment for County Durham. Rail manufacturing is coming home, returning to where it all began and to the people who played such a key role in its history.
“I have no doubt at all that Hitachi will have much to benefit from choosing Newton Aycliffe for its base. As a council it is our pledge to do everything possible to continue to attract, retain and support business and job creation in County Durham. Hitachi has this week played an important role in ensuring the world is looking at our county and we will make the most of this fantastic opportunity.”
Working with partners including Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson and site owners Merchant Place Developments, the council played a significant role in bringing Hitachi to Newton Aycliffe. This influential group successfully lobbied the DfT to progress the production of the next generation of passenger trains with Hitachi Rail Europe. Since then Business Durham, the council’s business arm, has supported and organised an event hosted by the Xcel Centre attended by more than 1,500 people interested in being part of the fit out and supply chain linked to the Hitachi development.
The signing of the contract with Hitachi is the beginning of a very significant time for Aycliffe as the second largest industrial estate in the North East and a focal point for engineering based manufacturing.
Hitachi will add significant value underlining the importance of South West Durham to the county’s economic prospects.”
Stewart Watkins, managing director of the council’s Business Durham, said: “Hitachi is renowned for extremely high standards in design and manufacturing. The company’s presence in Newton Aycliffe will raise the bar on standards and the aspirations of local people who will have a key role to play in the supply of goods and services as well as the workforce. It is through opportunities like this that we get to showcase what we can offer on a global stage.
“The 200 construction jobs and up to 730 assembly plant posts which will be created directly by Hitachi are just the start of a ripple effect throughout the local and regional economy. I would expect everyone including local shops and services and regional ports and airports, to benefit when the plant opens.”
This is indeed a welcome boost for Aycliffe and should fill everyone in the town with renewed hope and optimism for the future.
It should spur everyone into action and we ought to expect improvements in all aspects of community life with more businesses moving to Aycliffe. We will need to improve the general infrastructure, move quicker with developments such as the Town Centre, housing, and public facilities.
The contract announcement paves the way for Hitachi to build a rolling stock manufacturing and assembly plant over the course of the next two years and be fully operational by 2015.
