Looking for a place to grow your business?
Northumberland offers great competitive benefits, incentives and support to new and expanding businesses within our Enterprise Zones.
Four of the sites within the Blyth Estuary Renewable Energy Zone (BEREZ) have Enterprise Zone status. Delivery of the BEREZ zone is a priority for Arch, Northumberland County Council, Port of Blyth and North East Local Enterprise Partnership in order to drive forward economic growth and job creation.
The BEREZ site occupies a strategic location (within Port of Blyth) on the east coast of the UK and is well placed to take advantage of both onshore and offshore opportunities in the renewable sector. Take a look at our map to see just how great our infrastructure is for business.
Competitive advantages
There are many competitive advantages for businesses locating within the zone as well as a range of incentives to support site development and business growth. The following provides an overview of the benefits available across the Enterprise Zone.
For details of what is on offer for each site see the information on specific sites.
- Financial benefits
- Business support
- Supply chain
- Simple planning
- Local labour
Financial benefits
- On the Dun Cow Quay and Commissioners Quay sites you can claim up to £55k per annum Business Rates relief (worth up to £275,000) over a 5-year period.
- On the East Sleekburn and Bates sites you can claim Enhanced Capital Allowances for investment in plant and machinery.
- Other financial incentives include Tier 2 Assisted Area Status, UK Port Infrastructure Funding, Private Sector Equity, Regional Growth Fund, Port of Blyth’s ability to invest in new development as well as Local Authority support.
- We will quickly work with you to assess any financial incentives that could support your investment.
Business support
We will work with you to understand your needs and respond within your timeframes.
We have a package of customised help including development site appraisals, free hot desk while you develop your plans and then settle in, bespoke support on port facilities, access to a network of local businesses, assistance with recruitment and training.
Supply chain
A significant cluster of major International and UK renewable sector companies has already developed in the area. These businesses already find that the zone provides them with an on-site customer base and that they all mutually benefit from being located close to like-minded companies with an on-site supply chain, sector support, increased sales and reduced distribution costs.
BEREZ is already home to the UK’s National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) the UK’s independent centre for the development, testing and commercialisation of the next generation reliable technologies for the wind energy industry.
In addition to offshore wind, both RES and RWE npower have respective plans for biomass power plants within the zone.
A good choice of sites located either on or nearby the zone have been earmarked as potential component manufacturing development sites, or for operation and maintenance and R&D facilities.
Simple planning
Enterprise Zones have a can-do attitude to planning through the use of simplified planning procedures. If you need a new development to accommodate the needs of your business, locating here could save you time and money.
Local Development Orders granting automatic planning permission for specified types of development are awaiting final approval for the East Sleekburn and Bates sites.
A simplified planning regime for the wider area has also been developed with Northumberland County Council to provide greater certainty for all development parties to support proposals through the system.
Local labour
Our established marine and civil engineering tradition in both education and industry is a real strength. Northumberland is leading the way to meet the skills challenge of the offshore wind industry.
Within BEREZ a Centre of Training Excellence is creating awareness of career choices for young people, increasing the number of technicians and graduates from relevant specialist courses and creating bespoke vocational training solutions to meet individual and organisational requirements.
Continued investment in new training infrastructure and the development of industry influenced new courses means we will maintain our leading position.
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