Able UK condemns latest “spiteful” move to block Humber energy park
ASSOCIATED British Ports (ABP) has launched another “spiteful” attempt to block the £450m Able Marine Energy Park (AMEP).
The energy park – part of the UK’s largest Enterprise Zone with the potential to create up to 4,000 jobs and planned to cover 906 acres – got the go-ahead in October. However, the site has been the subject of a bitter row between Able UK and ABP and earlier this year, port operator ABP filed two petitions to Parliament seeking a compromise on the energy park. The park involves the compulsory purchase of a triangle of land owned by ABP, which objected, as it wants to build a new jetty in the same place.
But Able UK was granted a Development Consent Order (DCO) to create the facility and ABP was ordered to sell it a strip of land required for a quay.
In the latest twist, ABP is now seeking a Judicial Review of the planning process that led to the government’s decision to grant a Development Consent Order for AMEP.
Able UK has described this as showing “a blatant disregard for the planning process, for Parliament, the overwhelming views of the local community–and is seriously damaging the economic development prospects of the South Humber Bank.”
Able group development director Neil Etherington said: “ABP really are at the last chance saloon and we see their response as being as spiteful as it is desperate and we remain entirely confident that due process, as it has already, will see through their tiresome and vindictive smoke and mirrors.
“Whatever ‘spin’ ABP attempt to put on this latest move they cannot avoid the conclusion that their primary interest is in defending the near monopoly position on port operations which the Humber has had to endure for so many years.”
In a statement, ABP, said: “Regrettably, the DCO allows for the compulsory purchase of the Port of Immingham’s last remaining undeveloped land with access to deep water.
“ABP wishes to use the site, known as the triangle site, to develop, in partnership with its customers, a major fuel product import facility, the Immingham Western Deepwater Jetty.
“ABP regards the process by which the DCO was granted as being seriously flawed.”
Etherington added: “This latest legal tactic is attempting to overthrow not only the decision of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, who rejected ABP’s petitions before even hearing Able’s case’ but also both the hugely detailed and lengthy planning enquiry and then ultimately the decision of the Secretary of State for Transport.”
There will now be more months of delays as a court looks into the matter.
