“The news this week that Norfolk Chamber member joint venture ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) and Vattenfall, the developers of East Anglia Offshore Wind (EAOW), and the companies behind a major wind farm scheme planned off East Anglia’s coast have already invested £6.65million in the region through local contracts, is the news we all want to hear” says Norfolk Chamber CEO Caroline Williams “There will be considerable opportunities for Norfolk and Suffolk businesses in particular and the two Chambers will be working together to ensure that their members are well informed”
EAOW programme director Andy Paine said that where possible, they were trying to use local contractors to ensure the region benefits as much as possible from jobs and investment as a result of the scheme.
“With the help and support of local contractors, East Anglia Offshore Wind is making strong progress and we are on schedule to lodge our first application for consent this year,” he said.
We anticipate there will be further opportunities for businesses in the region as the East Anglia ONE windfarm progresses through its consenting, construction and operational phases.”
EAOW has already placed a number of contracts with companies in the region and that over the last two years, as part of plans to build one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world; it estimates it has helped support almost 170 jobs across East Anglia through its investments.
These include Chamber member Gardline marine services, marine researcher Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas), fisheries consultants Brown and May, online consultation experts Consense, consultants Eastern Edge and land agents Freedom Group who are all working on East Anglia ONE, the first phase of the East Anglia Zone.
The developers say that as the development of future wind farms within the zone continues there will be further opportunities for businesses in the region to benefit from these types of contracts.
Development rights for the East Anglia Zone were awarded to SPR and Vattenfall by the Crown Estate in December 2009 and plans are already under way for wind farms that could power the equivalent of over five million homes.
