ScottishPower Renewables has awarded the design and build contract for its new East Anglia offshore wind farm base to local construction company, R G Carter – taking the company’s investment in the regional supply chain over the £100 million mark for the first time.
The investment milestone comes as demolition works – being carried out by Ipswich-based Tru Demolition – get underway at the former RJ Pryce site on Trinity Road in Lowestoft, which will become home to the new facility.
The £9 million purpose-built base – almost 6000 m2 – will include a three-storey building, providing office and administration space, a Control Room, and Marine Coordination Centre, as well as a dedicated warehouse.
It will have capacity for around 100 people, creating additional employment opportunities for local people, and complementing ScottishPower’s East Anglia ONE facility – a stone’s throw from the new site. That will continue to operate on its existing 30-year lease with Associated British Ports.
R G Carter will begin the construction works in the new year. The company has been operating across the East of England for more than 100 years, delivering projects across a wide range of sectors, including the restoration of historic listed buildings such as Lowestoft Post Office, specialist educational facilities like Fred Nicholson SEND School in Swaffham, and research facilities at Norwich Research Park.
The company is currently supporting more than 60 apprentices as it continues to invest in future talent across the East of England and help build the next generation of skilled professionals in the region.
Alex Mackay, for R G Carter, said: “As a business with deep roots in East Anglia, we are proud to be supporting ScottishPower Renewables on this important investment in Lowestoft. Our commitment to building for the future has seen us deliver renewable energy projects for more than 20 years, and this project represents a fantastic opportunity for us to support the UK's clean energy transition while creating lasting benefits for local communities.”
Jess Asato, MP for Lowestoft, added: “This is fantastic news for Lowestoft and another vote of confidence in our town's growing role in Britain's clean energy future. This investment by ScottishPower Renewables will bring skilled jobs, training opportunities and more people working in the heart of Lowestoft, helping to support our town centre shops, cafés, and other local businesses.
“I welcome ScottishPower Renewables' continued commitment to our town, and want to make sure local people are first in line for these opportunities, particularly young people looking to build careers in the energy sector. It's vital that investment on this scale delivers lasting benefits for the people and businesses of Lowestoft.”
R G Carter is the latest company to join ScottishPower’s supply chain family across East Anglia, with more than 100 regional and local businesses playing their part in confirming its position as one of the UK’s leading offshore wind hubs and maximising the economic benefits of the renewables industry for local people.
Ross Ovens, ScottishPower Renewables’ Managing Director for Offshore, commented: “Lowestoft and the wider East Anglia region are the home and heart of our offshore wind operations in the UK. This incredible investment milestone – testament to the many trusted and high-quality local partners we have – confirms the region is a real powerhouse for the clean energy industry.
“We’re not only operating, building and developing wind farms that will power cleaner and greener lives for millions of people for years to come, but – both directly and through our supply chain partners like R G Carter – we’re creating jobs, creating opportunities and creating a vibrant economy for the region. That’s the true measure of the success of our projects and the real and tangible economic legacy that will last for years to come.
“It’s great to welcome R G Carter on board and I look forward to work getting underway on our new base next year and bringing that legacy to life.”
For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.
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