Planning permission granted for Scottish cable and foundations hub 

Peel Ports Clydeport has secured permission for the redevelopment of the Hunterston marine yard in Ayrshire as it prepares the site for major renewables infrastructure.

The redevelopment works – which are expected to start in early 2025 and last for around two years – will include substantial upgrades to the marine yard, including infilling the current drydock basin and creating a new quay wall.

The overall redevelopment of Hunterston is expected to attract £3.5Bn in inward investment and create over 5,000 jobs.

The redevelopment will continue the transformation of the former Hunterston coal terminal into a leading hub for the blue and green economies. Of the 350 acres being redeveloped, some 90% of the site is already under option, supporting energy transition projects such as HVDC cable manufacturing, the UK’s first hub for manufacturing gravity-base structures, power generation and storage.

Peel Ports Group port services managing director Lewis McIntyre said, “Hunterston is set to become a major facilitator of the UK energy transition. This decision is a big step forward in making that happen. It also proves  the west coast is going to play a huge role in renewables.

“There will be no energy transition without ports, and harnessing the potential of sites like Hunterston is key to achieving the UK’s net-zero goals. The knock-on benefits for the local and national economies are also significant. We look forward to working with the policymaking community to create the investment conditions we need to replicate the success of Hunterston at other sites across the country.”

In addition to the planning permission, the final hurdle of the redevelopment will be to secure the necessary marine licences, for which consultation is well underway, and once secured the works can commence.