Derelict farm buildings set to be demolished to make way for further investment at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park

Permission has been granted for Elliscope Farm and West Moor Farm to be pulled down, subject to final approval from Natural England, after they have fallen into a poor state of repair and are increasingly subject to antisocial behaviour.

The two buildings are set to be cleared later this year in a move that will enable the further development of the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) which was announced last month as the preferred location of Envision’s £450m Gigafactory.

It is the latest step in freeing up the 150-hectare site, which spans across Sunderland and South Tyneside, as the location continues to establish itself as a nationally significant advanced manufacturing base – with three major developments already secured.

Along with Envision’s Gigafactory, which is still subject to planning approval, the site has French car parts firm SNOP and Japanese headquartered Faltec, with a third building that is currently being used as the North East’s Nightingale Hospital.

Jonathan Tew, chief executive at South Tyneside Council, said: “This is another significant milestone in bringing forward the IAMP site. Removing these derelict buildings will allow us to rapidly advance development on IAMP.

“IAMP represents a huge opportunity for South Tyneside and Sunderland, giving us a vast amount of space to develop on, creating more and better jobs for local people.”

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, added: “We all knew the potential of IAMP, given its proximity to Nissan and exceptional infrastructure supporting it, but our ability to rapidly transform this site from undeveloped land into a powerhouse manufacturing site has been key in IAMP’s success so far.

“We have been proactive in ensuring that the site is shovel-ready for development at every stage, and this latest demolition round is part of that effort.

"We look forward to carrying on with our huge success to date in attracting investment in IAMP that ultimately benefits local people and businesses.”

The site was expected to attract £450m of private sector investment when South Tyneside and Sunderland City Council formed their legal partnership to develop the IAMP.

You can follow IAMP on Twitter @IAMPNE to keep update with the development of the site.

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