Green light for £10m energy HQ
A £10m project to create a dedicated training hub in Lancashire for the energy industry moved has moved closer after being given the green light by planners.
Blackpool and The Fylde College is leading the project to build the Lancashire Energy HQ, which aims to become a key part of the new Blackpool Enterprise Zone.
The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is providing £6.2m in Growth Deal funds towards the £9.8m cost of the project.
Construction will start in the summer and complete in the autumn of 2017, The college will become a centre of excellence for the county and beyond, delivering the higher technical skills, knowledge and training required by the energy sector.
Daryl Platt, executive director of commercial development at Blackpool and The Fylde College, said: “This is great news for Lancashire and the industries we will be supporting. Our aim is to provide a cutting-edge learning environment producing job-ready students who are highly skilled in advanced engineering, technology and energy solutions.
“The college already has a proven reputation in this field. Fleetwood Nautical Campus has more than 20 years of experience working with both on and off-shore energy sectors. The Lancashire Energy HQ will build on this, adding green and renewable energy technology to the provision offered.
Dr Michele Lawty-Jones, director, Lancashire Skills Hub, added: “The Lancashire Energy HQ, at the heart of a Blackpool Enterprise Zone specialising in energy, is an important part of the LEP’s ambitious strategic programme to transform Lancashire’s economy, growing it by £3bn and creating tens of thousands of jobs over the next decade.
“Lancashire is already a world leader in the energy sector and there is huge potential for further development. The energy hub will train the skilled workforce this sector needs which, in turn, will encourage energy firms to invest in Blackpool and Lancashire as a whole.”
