South Tyneside Economic Recovery Plan
Published 9th September 2020 An accessible plan from southtyneside.gov.uk
Foreword
The Covid 19 pandemic has sent huge economic shockwaves across the North East, just as it has the entire globe. The unprecedented scale and nature of the crisis has, and continues to have, major consequences for the region and for South Tyneside, with significant impacts felt by our residents, businesses and communities.
While our vulnerabilities as an area have been exacerbated – our comparatively lower skills levels and high youth unemployment rates - the pandemic has highlighted the spirit of South Tyneside and the North East. It has seen volunteering and dedication to helping others of a scale not witnessed for generations.
It has also brought new opportunities to forge a bright future for the area, a once in a lifetime opportunity to seize the changes around remote working, advanced manufacturing, the green economy and the importance of natural and cultural assets, to foster a sustainable and inclusive economic recovery.
This Economic Recovery Plan presents the key economic drivers of our recovery and a series of interventions to help us build the right conditions for future growth, with a major focus upon skills, green growth and inclusivity. It stresses the need to press on with ambitions set in motion prior to the pandemic, such as schemes vital to the regional recovery, like IAMP, Holborn Riverside and South Shields 365.
Yet we are realistic and know there is a long way to go as we work through these new and emerging challenges and try to help and support those businesses, residents and communities who continue to suffer the economic and social costs.
Working collaboratively across the region (and with Government) is even more vital now than ever and we remain committed to our twin goals of 25,000 new jobs for South Tyneside by 2031 and 100,000 more and better jobs across the North East LEP area by 2024.
Although the current challenges we face are significant and may be exacerbated by EU Exit and the Climate Change Emergency, we are in a stronger position to weather this storm than we ever were before.
Through previous challenging times, such as the global financial crisis and public sector austerity, we did not lower our ambitions and we will not do so now. In South Tyneside and the North East, we are resilient. We are capable of bouncing back from this unprecedented challenge, of adapting and ensuring the future is bright.
Economic recovery plan
How we have developed our Plan
Our bold and ambitious Recovery Plan for South Tyneside is based upon meeting the economic challenges of the current CV19 pandemic, our long-standing structural barriers to growth, EU Exit and the Climate Change Emergency.
We will achieve this by maximising our assets, particularly in the low-carbon economy and exploiting the exciting opportunities ahead, thereby driving inclusive, green and sustainable growth.
Our Plan has been developed by teams across the Council and is pragmatic and focussed upon our drivers of growth. It will be delivered through a series of tailored and specific actions over the immediate, short and medium term.
Our Plan is realistic as we will need to monitor the impact closely as the situation evolves and we will work hand-in-hand with regional partners and Government for the benefit of South Tyneside, the wider North East and the UK as a whole.
Long term structural barriers to growth plus the impact of COVID-19 have hurt our economy.
This means we need to transform our productivity and skills levels to build a green, sustainable and inclusive recovery
We need bold interventions under each of these drivers to reshape our economy and level up the UK
These bold plans will be driven by specific actions and make a real impact on the Borough.
We will work with partners to deliver these actions (including shovel-ready projects)
The economic shock of CV19 has been profound and significant
The impact of CV19 has, and continues to have, a profound affect upon the South Tyneside economy.
53% rise in unemployment (March-July 2020), particularly in retail, hospitality, tourism and manufacturing
+600 extra 18-24 year old’s claiming unemployment benefit (March-July 2020) given the high prevalence of the youngest and lowest skilled in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors
20,500 South Tyneside workers Furloughed (July 2020) with the major risk that a high proportion will turn into redundancies
Limited cash flow and reduced future revenue are the key ongoing effects of the pandemic upon our businesses
£24.5m of grants distributed to 2,290 local businesses, demonstrating the need for support amongst our firms
B&Bs and small hotels suffering from significantly reduced revenue and the drying up of future bookings
1 in 3 local training providers considering redundancies as a result of the hit to their income CV19 has created
Coastal communities likely to see widening inequality as a result of the crisis, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (2020)
1.2% annual rise in 16-17 year olds Not in Employment, Education or Training (now at 7.3%), with lower participation rates than neighbouring Councils and particularly among SEND young people
The pandemic has compounded our barriers to growth
The impact of CV19 has exacerbated our existing challenges in the Borough, and could lead to deterioration in areas where we have strengths, with EU Exit and the Climate Emergency presenting further headwinds
74.8% South Tyneside’s percentage of GB’s Gross Value Added (GVA) per hour worked (2018), demonstrating lower levels of productivity and poor mix of sectors in the Borough
Manufacturing, construction and transport sectors where we have a high concentration of jobs in productive industries and are key to maintain and grow in order to boost productivity
£499 weekly pay in the Borough (compared to £587 in GB and £531 in the North East) suggesting a higher proportion of lower value jobs are present in the Borough
12th in the Index of Multiple Deprivation (2019) for income deprivation, demonstrating pockets of poverty (with 1 in 4 children living in poverty and 1 in 4 workless households)
Digital and business/professional services sectors where the Borough has a low concentration of jobs in productive industries; growing these would make a real difference to productivity and economic output
8% & 10% percentage point gap between South Tyneside and the national average for Level 3 (A-level and equivalent) and Level 4 (degree and equivalent) qualifications
3,315 Our business base has been consistent over the past few years, built upon SMEs (98% employ less than 50 people) with good survival rates, suggesting a strong foundation of firms
13% rise in the proportion of higher-level skilled jobs in the Borough between 2017 and 2019 (a faster rise than regionally or nationally) suggesting movement in the right direction
Largest reduction in GVA of any UK region forecast for the North East for when the UK leaves the EU transition period (due to region’s exposure to industries reliant upon EU trade)
2030 Our commitment as a Council to be carbonneutral and to play a leading role in ensuring our economy and people can adapt to the ongoing Climate Emergency
Our economy is changing quickly, presenting challenges and opportunities
The pandemic is the biggest change to our economy in decades, presenting multiple challenges and opportunities. The main trends produced or accelerated include:
| Pandemic has resulted in… | Which has created a trend… | Implications of which are… |
|---|---|---|
| Acceleration of online shopping and hit to revenue in retail, leisure and hospitality from lockdown | Less spending and footfall in our High Streets, business closures and job losses | Shop closures, falling rents and large redundancies. New business models needed to attract footfall |
| Acceleration of online shopping from lockdown | Growth in need for logistics and distribution centres | Increasing investment from logistics and online retail firms in major sites |
| Social distancing requirements result in 2020 events being cancelled and uncertainty over foreign travel could result in more UK holidaying | Short-term boost to our key attractions. Question marks over viability of events given extra cost | Teetering tourism businesses and need to relook at events and festival programme once further |
| More people working from home and more online learning provision | Reliance upon digital connectivity and increase in firms wanting to use e-commerce and digital. Rise in digital exclusion | Increasing need from residents, businesses and investors for future-proofed digital connectivity |
| Public transport usage falls as people work from home with longer term shift towards walking and cycling | Car usage may increase or go back to pre CV19 levels, but public transport patronage declines | Need for resilient road, cycling and walking infrastructure (and support to reassure people to get back onto public transport) |
| Lockdown, consumer spending fall and social distancing put pressure on companies cash flows | Redundancies and job losses, particularly among youngest and lowest paid | Need to retrain workers made redundant, provide brokerage and boost aspiration and confidence |
| Social distancing requirements and developer uncertainty on projects leads to reduced profit margins for developers and construction firms | Slower delivery of housing and other projects. Construction firms survival is put at risk | Pressure on developer margins and thus housing targets (risk of poor quality development and reduced appetite to invest in new projects) |
| Trend towards urban dispersal as people are less keen to commute | Demand for housing rises in towns outside major cities | Potential to attract more residents to the Borough |
| Increased focus on climate emergency and mitigating future shocks, plus fall in oil price | Further growth in low-carbon economy, particularly offshore wind and Electric Vehicles | Green economy likely to be a generator of future job opportunities |
| Original Equipment Manufacturers and tier 1 firms look to de-risk their just-in-time supply chains given CV19 and EU Exit | Major manufacturing firms may look to source and store products more locally | Opportunities to diversify firms and attract investment in existing supply chains into the Borough |
| Social distancing, energy efficiency push and cost-cutting from firms | Move towards robotics and automation | Sustainable advanced manufacturing becomes |
| Increase in remote and flexible working Changes in occupier requirements for commercial office space | Changes in occupier requirements for commercial office space | Reshaping of office requirements (such as more virtual offices) |
| Push for efficiency savings and staff reluctance to commute to the office | Large corporates and Government departments look at regional centres | Race from many areas in the North to attract corporates and government agencies |
| Closure of Council-owned facilities and reduced presence in Council-owned commercial buildings, plus extra costs from the pandemic | Reduced income from public assets puts pressure on local authority and other partner (such as VCS) budgets | Less ability for local government and other key organisations to invest in key schemes |
We have world-class assets that make a vital contribution to the regional and national economy
We must harness our key assets and the exciting developments already underway, alongside new innovative approaches, to respond to this new normal. Our major assets include:
Over £1bn of investment has gone into our housing, schools, regeneration schemes and community facilities over the past decade with more to follow
600,000 vehicles are handled for global export by the Port of Tyne each year which is a national leader in automotive, containers, marine and fuels
Top 20 in the Country for FE Colleges, South Tyneside College is a specialist in marine and offshore skills
Industry-leading companies are headquartered here including: Barbour, Fairstone Group, Immunodiagnostics Solutions and Faltec Europe
370 acres of Grade A employment land at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park to support the automotive, advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors
A19is the advanced manufacturing artery of the North East and UK given its links between the automotive, manufacturing, chemical and energy sectors across the region
National Centre for the Written Word is located in South Tyneside at The Word, part of the South Shields 365 project which has invested £100m in the town
6.6m visitors to the Borough every year to our stunning coastline, beaches, tourist attractions (such as the Customs House, Jarrow Hall and Arbeia Roman Fort) and events
World’s biggest offshore windfarm under development at Dogger Bank is to be served from an Operations and Maintenance Base at the Port of Tyne
99% superfast broadband coverage across the Borough and nearly 80% ultrafast
We need to act now to respond to the new economy and deliver our ambitious vision
We remain committed to our vision of South Tyneside as an outstanding place to live, invest and bring up families. Our aim is to raise prosperity for all our residents by creating an environment for residents, students, businesses, investors and visitors to succeed, while strengthening our communities by harnessing the community spirit that came out of the pandemic.
We can achieve this by taking advantage of this once in a generation opportunity to reshape and transform our economy.
Therefore, we need to focus on three key drivers of growth that can tackle the barriers set out above:
Turbocharge productivity by refashioning our skills system, boosting our support for businesses and investing in our transport and digital infrastructure
Catalyse green and sustainable growth by maximising the potential of our low-carbon and digital assets and expertise
Foster an inclusive recovery by boosting our vibrant communities, cultural assets and amazing places and tackling barriers to health and wellbeing
We know this will not be easy and will require commitment, leadership and collaboration, along with dedicated Government funding for South Tyneside and the local delivery of national interventions.
We will play our part in the regional recovery (by working closely through the North East Combined Authority and, with the North of Tyne Combined Authority, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership) and believe we can be a vital cog in the national bounceback from the virus.
We can also help transition to a post-EU environment due to our leading roles in advanced manufacturing, low-carbon, exporting, tourism and culture, along with the skills, commitment and resilience of our people.
Our 20 bold interventions to grasp this once in a generation chance to drive inclusive, sustainable growth
Turbocharge productivity by re-fashioning our skills system, boosting our support for businesses and investing in our transport and digital infrastructure
Create a comprehensive, joined up support package for the newly unemployed through a South Tyneside Employment & Skills Hub that breaks down individual barriers to work, boosts employability skills and creates careers pathways into great jobs (enabling those who lose their jobs through CV19 to access sustainable employment)
Empower our young people to take advantage of job opportunities by boosting careers advice and guidance in primary and secondary schools, working closer with key employers (through The Exchange), transforming triage services (via the Your Next Steps Hub) and creating new pre-employment schemes (drastically reducing our rates of youth unemployment)
With Government support and working closely with South Tyneside College, develop a fit for purpose College of the Future. This will make South Tyneside a UK-leader on low-carbon, advanced manufacturing and digital training that both upskills our residents and attracts new businesses to the Borough
Secure local ownership of national skills and employment funds and programmes in order to create a world-class post-16 skills system that is designed and delivered in South Tyneside (closing the gap to the regional average on economic activity)
Boost business support so that local businesses know where to go for, and can easily access, support on finance, premises, exports and growth in a post EU Exit environment by creating a dedicated Business Support Hub (increasing business start-up and growth rates)
Drive growth in emerging industries in the Borough by building new fit for purpose business accommodation, such as The Glassworks, that takes advantage of opportunities in logistics, offshore wind, digital, healthcare and the movement of large corporates and government departments (diversifying our economy and providing higher-skilled jobs)
Press the case for transformational transport schemes that unlock jobs growth by boosting the linkages between our residents, jobs and regeneration sites (particularly joining the economic artery of UK manufacturing, the A19, to the A1M and to IAMP through improvements at White Mare Pool and new Metro stations and extensions)
Work with regional partners to deliver transport infrastructure that will produce significant regional benefits, such as the Leamside Line with South Tyneside connections and the innovative technology to facilitate a Free Zone linking the Port of Tyne to IAMP
Catalyse green, and sustainable growth by maximising the potential of our low-carbon and digital assets and expertise
Maximise the benefits of our riverside location by making our key waterfront sites offshore wind investor-ready, delivering the Holborn Renewable Energy Network, delivering the Holborn Renewable Energy Network and driving growth into local supply chains (placing us at the centre of national activity on offshore wind, low-carbon heat and sustainable advanced manufacturing
Revolutionise how our businesses, residents, students and visitors work and play by driving the rollout of full fibre broadband and future-proofed mobile connectivity (facilitating town centre wifi, fully exploiting smart technologies by 2030 as part of our Connected South Tyneside vision)
Create a digitally-enabled and engaged Borough through online learning, digital skills provision and engagement campaigns so that all our residents and businesses can take advantage of the digital economy (boosting productivity and employment)
Support our businesses to harness the power of digital to set-up, flourish and grow, while catalysing growth in our emerging digital sector through initiatives such as the One Trinity Green digital wing (helping to diversify our economy)
Implement immediate sustainable transport measures that facilitate the reopening of our economy, with a focus upon walking and cycling schemes, including trialling e-scooters (to improve health, employment and climate change outcomes)
Deliver an ambitious programme of green infrastructure and sustainable transport that increases our quality of place, meets our climate emergency obligations and drives investment into low-carbon innovation
Foster an inclusive recovery by boosting our vibrant communities, cultural assets and amazing places and tackling the barriers to health and wellbeing
Develop a refreshed approach for the Best Start in Life, utilising our multi-agency Best Start in Life Locality Partnerships to prioritise early intervention (considering how we can expand the number of Hubs) and focusing on how best to support families within their communities
Transform South Shields by delivering our 365 vision, developing a nationally recognised, Government-backed and digitally-connected Cultural Quarter in the town centre, and boosting our heritage and retail offers
Reshape our housing offer, revitalising town centre living and, combined with transformational housing-led regeneration schemes such as Holborn Riverside, illuminate South Shields town centre as a place to live and visit (improving footfall and viability)
Play to our strengths as a coastal community with first-class cultural, heritage and event assets by growing and expanding the South Tyneside Festival Summer Parade to become a weekend Arts Festival by the Sea and pushing for a Tourism Action Zone (boosting jobs, growth and community cohesion)
Create a new Cultural Strategy for the Borough, helping to support our arts, cultural and visitor economy to survive and flourish, including building on the success of our events programme with Arts Council support (leading to increased visitors and overnight stays)
Facilitate sustainable housing growth, targeting developments in the right areas and lobby for resources to put in place the support and infrastructure needed to alleviate homelessness (ensuring the Borough’s housing delivers on our climate and fuel poverty goals)
Our 50 tailored actions to deliver our Recovery Plan
To achieve our 20 bold interventions, we have 50 clear actions to deliver over the immediate (0 to 6 months), short (6 months to 2 years) and medium (2 years plus) terms.
These actions may change as the effects of the pandemic continue to play out. We will also need considerable regional and Government support to enable us to do so.
Our actions are grouped into those timeframes and the key below indicates which growth driver each action aims to achieve and whether the resources are in place.
Immediate Actions (0-6 months)
- Create a South Tyneside Employment & Skills Hub, targeted at young people (17-24) and the newly unemployed, to provide a wide range of practical support to support residents into new careers or training opportunities
- Plans under development including Jobs Fuse initiative and supporting the TUC’s Great Jobs Agenda (living wage, high quality apprenticeships and engagement with local employers on sustainable growth). Government support needed to extend Generation North East project, ensure NCS and JCP Youth Work Coach presence within the Hub and extend Kickstart funds
- Enhance the role and functions of The Exchange, South Tyneside Connexions and partners to boost links between our schools and businesses at the earliest stage, boosting employability skills, work experience and volunteering
- Resources in place for Sept 2020. Work closely with the Preparation for Adulthood Group and Inspire South Tyneside Enhance North East Ambition programme with LEP support
- Create Your Next Steps Hub (underpinned by a new NEET Strategy) which provides a clearing house for Year 11s with links to training providers or employers
- Resources in place for Sept 2020
- Continue South Tyneside Scholarship Fund to help employers fund apprenticeships (particularly higher level), focussed on those made redundant
- Resources in place Government should raise levy transfer so more employers can benefit
- Deliver the South Tyneside Youth Employment Catalyst of preapprenticeship, digital skills and advanced manufacturing preemployment programmes and enhanced careers information
- £98k bid to Youth Futures Foundation
- Create a dedicated South Tyneside Business Hub to act as a portal for indigenous businesses and inward investors, underpinned by additional business support resource, an interactive website and Business Database
- Plans under development and small internal resource required
- Put in place a dedicated Business Hub point of contact for our businesses to navigate EU Exit (particularly on exporting) with a dedicated communications programme to help our firms adjust
- Work with LEP on additional Growth Connector resource
- Establish a working group to look at the use of shared and multi-use spaces in our High Streets, plus a strengthened events programme and more retail offers, in order to allow the diversification of our town centres
- Plans under development
- Encourage Government to fund our Future High Street Fund plan to boost our town centre living and retail experience in South Shields
- £1.2m commited £8.6m needed from Government
- Implement a marketing campaign to encourage visitors back to the Borough (developing our offer on culture and heritage) and boost our arts, cultural and visitor businesses through a revitalised events and festival programme
- Government support for a Theatre Reopening Fund. NELEP support for visitor economy required and Arts Council-funded test events. Explore the potential to create a Destination Management Organisation
- Place South Tyneside at the forefront of the UK’s offer to investors on offshore wind and advanced manufacturing, including implementing an innovative Free Zone (and enabling technology) linking the Port of Tyne to IAMP and supporting the Port’s aim to be a nationally-recognised Clean Energy Test Bed by 2025
- £2.1m funding for Port O&M infrastructure secured, Government support for Free Zone (and funding for ANPR technology) and maximising use of local content
- Continue to work with local firms to help them to diversify into the offshore supply chain through dedicated business support (particularly to maximise export opportunities post EU Exit) and grow-on space, nurturing South Tyneside’s offshore cluster
- Work underway, particularly at Jarrow Business Centre to expand grow on space. Funding needed for Grow on space at Wardley, Monkton South and Bede industrial estates
- Promote our Connected South Tyneside vision of maximising smart technology by 2030 and create a welcoming environment for providers to invest in full fibre connectivity and mobile infrastructure in the Borough
- Part of regional ask of Government on mobile coverage mapping and town centre wifi.
- Reopen our public spaces and reassure the public about the safety of public transport to re-establish connections between the workforce and employment opportunities
- Need Government support to continue Metro provision
- Adopt a Local Cycling and Walking Implementation Plan to develop walking and cycling routes, appoint an Active Travel Champion and consider a trial of e-scooters
- Schemes identified, consider e-scooter trial Regional collaboration to drive behavioural change and £2.5m needed to enhance our cycling network
- Continue to support growth at both the Port of Tyne (particularly in containers, marine, offshore wind and the low-carbon economy) and Newcastle International Airport
- Work with the Airport on its Masterplan. Government to reduce Air Passenger Duty and examine case for rail freight funding
- Work with South Tyneside Homes, ensure South Tyneside has a ready-to-go proposal to meet Government funding aims on social housing retrofit (while examining how we can make private housing more efficient)
- Plans under development, Government funding needed
- Seek to mitigate the risk of a rise in homelessness by working with those most impacted financially by the crisis, including expanding and intensifying multi-agency safeguarding provision and additional infrastructure
- Plans being developed Joint plan with Government on multi-year funding for immediate support and additional accommodation
Short term actions (6 months – 2 years)
- Work with the North East Combined Authority to encourage Government to devolve adult skills and other employment and skills budgets to ensure support programmes are designed and delivered locally
- Government to devolve employment support to NECA
- Ensure key parts of our recovery (boosting skills, employment, earnings, housing quality and transport links) are tied together through a refreshed Best Start in Life Strategy to reduce barriers to health and wellbeing
- Plans under development which will prioritise prevention and early intervention for families (providing support from the right agency at the right time). Consider how we can expand the number of Best Start in Life Hubs and target support at those in greatest need. Explore Community Wealth Building and continue Supply South Tyneside (to procure goods locally wherever possible, consider innovative approaches to procurement and support local businesses to identify, bid for and win public sector contracts).
- Work with South Tyneside College and providers to re-skill our workforce into areas of economic growth, particularly low-carbon, advanced manufacturing, digital and healthcare (the latter key post EU Exit)
- Work through NECA and NELEP to maximise Shared Prosperity Fund. Through the skills commissioning process, focus upon our geographical areas of disadvantage
- Continue to develop the International Advanced Manufacturing Park as a key UK location to catalyse supply chain growth in the advanced manufacturing and automotive sectors, particularly post EU Exit
- Government to help fund IAMP infrastructure requirements
- Prepare a business case to ensure our key waterfront sites (Dow, Hawthorne Leslie, Jarrow Green, Cemex) can be made investor-ready for the offshore wind market
- Lobby Government for a Port & Marine Infrastructure Fund
- Deliver Phase 3 of our South Shields 365 vision, producing the right mix of unit types and public realm to revitalise the town centre
- £100m invested
- Develop our Cultural Quarter, anchored around The Word, Customs House and Mill Dam, and link it to South Shields town centre through enhanced green and digital infrastructure
- High Streets Heritage Action Zone status needed
- Refresh the branding of South Tyneside as a shopping, leisure and cultural experiential destination
- Plans under development (but need for further consumer research)
- Build on the success of the South Tyneside Festival Summer Parade and grow it into a weekend Arts Festival by the Sea, while progressing coastal projects to shovel-ready status
- Arts Council support. Dedicated coastal community support needed given CV19 disproportionate impact.
- Create a Cultural Strategy for the Borough, working with local partners and securing Arts Council funding for The Word, South Tyneside Festival and Customs House, while pushing for a North East Tourism Action Zone
- North East Tourism Action Zone. Arts Council bids to be developed in line with national objectives. Work closely with partners such as the Local Cultural Education Partnership
- Ensure that gigabit connectivity and smart technologies are incorporated into key regeneration projects and future housing developments through our Local Plan policies
- Build requirements into Local Plan
- Create a Digital South Tyneside campaign to encourage residents to become more digitally engaged, while raising aspiration and awareness of digital and tech careers and commission training provision that focus on digital skills
- Work need to understand digital skills and isolation levels. Work with regional partners on a campaign and through the skills commissioning process ensure a focus upon remote provision
- Identify an ambitious programme of green infrastructure schemes, including reallocating road space, cycle pop up schemes
- Emergency Active Travel funding secured with further bids in to Government. Potential Sustainable Transport Officer resource.
- Position Port and other key logistics sites to maximise opportunities from growth in distribution and warehousing centres
- Work underway
- Continue to install Electric Vehicle charging points across the Borough (particularly communal areas) and consider wider requirements of residents, businesses and visitors to capture benefits in the Borough
- £150k committed and well-placed with evidence to push schemes for Government funding
- Complete A19 Junction improvements (Testos and Downhill) and continue to push investment case to Government for the A19, the economic artery of UK advanced manufacturing
- £150m secured. Need support for future plans, including £3m for Southbound Lane Gain
- Continue to deliver new sustainable housing developments and growth in the right places (ensuring our Local Plan is implemented by the end of 2022) to meet the needs of our residents and our Climate Change targets
- Local Plan in development. Work with NECA on shared healthy homes standards
- While working up shovel-ready schemes, ask Government to devolve dedicated housing infrastructure budgets to NECA to remove current complexity and myriad of funding schemes and thereby enhance local coordination and the delivery of sustainable, affordable housing
- Work with NECA to lobby Government on devolved funding (as NCTA have achieved)
Medium term actions (2 years plus)
- Position the Borough as a key location for professional and business services (including Gov departments) with our new office space offer, The Glassworks, at the Holborn Riverside Enterprise Zone
- Work with NECA on revitalised public sector relocation proposition
- Build new fit for purpose business accommodation to grasp new sectoral changes in light of changing requirements and the lack of space available in the Borough for logistics, advanced manufacturing and digital firms
- Gap funding needed to enable development of business space and accommodation Plans underway for The Glassworks at Holborn Riverside Enterprise Zone site
- Examine how to create a College of the Future that delivers UK-leading low carbon, advanced manufacturing and digital training (particularly looking at low-carbon heat, offshore wind and energy efficiency installation and maintenance skills to support growth of the green economy)
- Work closely with South Tyneside College and lobby Government for FE estate funding
- Ensure that South Tyneside is at the forefront of UK Low-Carbon Heat research and delivery, including securing funding for the Holborn Renewable Energy Network and building on the work already underway through Viking Energy Networks and at Hebburn Colliery
- Work with the LEP on Mine Energy White Paper. Secure £15.9m from Heat Network Delivery Unit of BEIS
- Work with the LEP to ensure that South Tyneside, the Centre for Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing and our innovative cluster of businesses are fully recognised within the innovation agenda, particularly post EU Exit
- Work with the LEP on Local Industrial Strategy and lobby Government for devolution of innovation funding to a NECA level
- Increase the quantity and range of overnight accommodation by encouraging major and boutique hotels to the Borough, as well as exploring glamping opportunities
- Plans underway
- Position the Borough as the ideal place to trial smart technology innovation and work with partners, such as the Clinical Commissioning Group, to explore pilot activity and look at how to grow our small cluster of healthcare firms
- Potential evidence gap so need for external support
- Grow our small digital cluster by looking at future growth opportunities aligned to our key assets and by promoting One Trinity Green’s digital wing
- Further work required on digital sector potential
- Deliver the A194 and A185 Strategic Transport Corridor improvements (and lobby for further vital infrastructure enhancement, particularly the A19/A1M improvements at White Mare Pool and new Metro stations and extensions)
- £1.5m committed for corridor improvements along the A194. £300m needed for longterm A194/A184/ A194M White Mare Pool improvements which needs to be prioritised by Highways England (RIS). £5m for short term junction improvements, plus duelling A185 between the Arches and Tunnel Portal to boost Port freight (£25m) and development funding for new Metro stations and extensions
- Deliver our Transforming Cities Fund and Integrated Transport Plan programmes, including installing more bus corridors to link up our residents to job opportunities
- £11.73m secured in TCF funding which will deliver the strategic bus corridor improvements and Healthier / Safer Metro stations
- Test the viability of Wheels to Work schemes and discounts on public transport to allow learners and the lowest paid to access job opportunities
- Potential resource required
- Work closely with all utilities (particularly Northern Powergrid) to ensure adequate capacity to cater for more complex patterns of use
- Plans under development
- Continue to support key regional rail priorities (such as the East Coast Mainline upgrade, reestablishment of the Leamside Line with South Tyneside connections and expansion of the Metro) and push Government for more control over local rail, bus and Metro
- Work with Nexus to deliver the new Metro Fleet from 2021. Government support needed on key infrastructure schemes and devolution of transport powers.
- Deliver the transformational Holborn Riverside masterplan to provide high quality housing, culture and offices (including at the Glassworks), attracting key corporates and Government departments
- Residential start on site in 2021. Funding secured for the Glassworks office development Enterprise Zone. Ask of Government to relocate departments out of London
Impact of our Plan
Delivering the actions set out above over the next decade, combined with receiving support from the North East LEP and Government (as demonstrated below), will enable us to make a real difference to our economy and the lives of our residents and businesses.
Our Plan aims to create 10,000 new jobs over the next 5 years
This will help us to close both the jobs density and GDP per head gaps between the Borough and the wider North East, raise the proportion of our working age population in employment to the UK average and put us on track to meet the 25,000 jobs target set out in our 2011-2031 South Tyneside Vision.
We’re ready to go
As demonstrated above, we are poised to go to deliver an inclusive, sustainable economic recovery for our residents. To make this a reality and help Government to level up the UK economy, we have key shovel-ready projects ready to go that can deliver benefits quickly:
| Project | Output |
|---|---|
| Extension of Generation North East employability programme as part of Employment & Skills Hub | Boost employability of our residents |
| Holborn Riverside residential masterplan | 1,350 jobs and 365 homes |
| International Advanced Manufacturing Park Phase 2 | Help deliver around 7,000 jobs over next decade |
| South Shields 365 Phase 3 (cinema development) | 400 jobs and regeneration of town centre |
| Immediate support and additional housing units to prevent homelessness | Mitigate the impact of homelessness |
| Emergency Active Travel Funding for cycling and walking infrastructure schemes (including reallocating road space, cycle pop up schemes) | Increase quality of place |
| A19 Southbound Lane Gain/Drop (Jarrow Road A185 to Lindisfarne Junction) | Increase connectivity and traffic flow |
| Completion of South Shields to Sunderland bus corridor | Improve bus connectivity to employment sites |
| A194/A184/A194M White Mare Pool Improvements | Increase connectivity on road network and unlock housing |
| A185 duelling | Increase freight capacity at the Port |
| Holborn Renewable Energy Network | See below |
| More targeted and streamlined support for families via Best Start in Life Locality Partnerships and a refreshed partnership Strategy (considering increasing number of Hubs) | Provide joined-up services, close to families focused on prevention and early intervention |
We are an innovative, entrepreneurial Borough and have a number of projects at early feasibility stage which would require funding to work up into shovel-ready schemes:
| Project | Output | Resources needed |
|---|---|---|
| Holborn Renewable Energy Network | Creation of a low-carbon heat network which would save 20% of Council emissions and provide 10GW of annual heat for key buildings. | £80k of funding needed for a feasibility study to work up the full project (see more above) |
| Fit for purpose business accommodation (particularly manufacturing grow on space, logistics sites and digital and business and professional services space) | Enable the growth of indigenous firms and attraction of inward investment in key industries | Further work needed to work this up (building on successful Jarrow Business Centre expansion and plans at Hebburn South, Bede and Wardley business estates) |
| College of the Future (dedicated centre for low-carbon, advanced manufacturing and digital skills) | Support the growth of the green economy, reskilling of residents and growth of firms | TBC – could utilise LGF underspend to assess the concept |
| Relocation of high-level electricity supply (Tyne Crossing, Jarrow) | Enables sail away of tall structures for offshore wind | First two phases are underway (to raise height of cables), but further work needed (and £95m) in order for National Grid to apply to OFGEM for removal (options worked up by Dec 2020) |
| Port and infrastructure sites at Dow, Hawthorne Leslie, Jarrow Green and Cemex | Make key riverside sites offshore wind investor ready | TBC 4 sites minimum £31m (up to £117m). For Dow (lowest), £6.3m to £25m |
| Potential new Metro stations and extensions | Enable businesses to recruit staff and for residents to access opportunities | TBC |
Working with regional partners
We will work with the North East Combined Authority to create the best possible conditions for growth in jobs and investment, collaborating to:
- Update the NECA project pipeline to ensure this is reflected in North East investment plans
- Make a case to Government to devolve employment support and skills programmes to NECA
- Work up a digital engagement campaign for NECA residents and businesses
- Create a shared healthy homes planning standard and guidance for new homes
- Make a case to Government to devolve housing infrastructure funding to NECA
- Develop a revitalised public sector relocation proposition and campaign to attract government departments and agencies
- Make a case to Government to devolve innovation funding to NECA
- Persuade Government to devolve rail, bus and Metro powers
We will work with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership and our partners at the North of Tyne Combined Authority to deliver the ambition of creating 100,000 more and better jobs for the North East by 2024 by:
- Engaging closely to work up the schemes outlined above to ensure they are shovel-ready
- Working closely with partners under the new Regional Recovery Executive with its focus upon; Health, Wellbeing & Public Service Resilience; Economic Recovery, Business Resilience & Skills; Transport, Mobility & Infrastructure; Community Safety & Resilience.
- Securing funding to turn initial ideas into shovel-ready schemes, including examining the business cases for new Metro stations and a College of the Future
- Getting gap funding to enable the building of new business accommodation to improve grow-on and inward investment offer
- Enhancing the work of the North East Ambition skills project to drive better careers advice and support in our schools
- Providing additional Growth Connector resource in our Business Hub so businesses have a single point of contact
- Exploring the concept of a Public Sector Prevention Fund to support early years and families
- Examining a region-wide approach to identifying mobile coverage hotspots and notspots, town centre wifi and sensor networks
- Fund Active Travel schemes (including cycling network improvements) and work with Nexus to deliver the new Metro fleet from 2021 collaborate on driving behavioural change
- Work together to persuade Government to reduce and reform the business rates system
- Work jointly on making the case to Government of the region’s leading role in mine energy given our expertise around geothermal and low-carbon heat
- Play a prominent role in contributing to the Local Industrial Strategy to drive innovation
- Examine future employment projections by sector and occupation so we can shape skills and training provision
- Work with partners to demonstrate to Government the merits of devolving future funding streams (such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund), accelerating infrastructure spend and securing a viable local government settlement.
We very much welcome this bold and ambitious plan for South Tyneside which has been developed with its residents front of mind, but which also recognises the borough’s important contribution to the wider North East economy.
With schemes vital to the regional recovery, such as IAMP, Holborn Riverside and South Shields 365, the plan will build on South Tyneside’s strengths and opportunities and aligns well with the wider region’s economic recovery planning, which also has a major focus upon skills, green growth and inclusivity.
As stated in the Economic Recovery Plan for South Tyneside, working collaboratively across the region is even more vital now than ever and through the continued partnership working highlighted in its plan, the borough will play a key role in helping to deliver our aim of 100,000 more and better jobs across the North East LEP area by 2024.
Lucy Winskell, Chair North East Local Enterprise Partnership
Working with Government
Playing a key role in levelling up
Given the exciting opportunities in the Borough to build an inclusive, sustainable recovery that puts people and green growth at its heart and which is a vital cog in levelling up the UK, it is vital that Government invests in key transformational projects in South Tyneside and empowers us to design and deliver schemes that can make a real difference to the lives of our residents.
Asks of Government with no cost to the Treasury
- Support the extension of the Generation North East ESF project
- Place a NCS and JCP Youth Work Coach presence within our new Employment & Skills Hub
- Raise the current 25% levy transfer threshold to 50% to allow more apprenticeships to be created through our Scholarship Fund (and keep any underspend to help providers)
- Approve the North East’s innovative digitally enabled Free Zone proposal to boost exportled advanced manufacturing in a post-EU environment (and fund ANPR digital infrastructure)
- Maximise use of local content in Crown Estate offshore wind projects (above that pledged in the Offshore Wind Sector Deal) so local companies benefit
- Reopen the High Streets Heritage Action Zone status competition given our developing heritage offer in South Shields and recognise our Cultural Quarter
- Put in place a North East Tourism Action Zone
- Relocate Government agencies to the North East
- Dedicated slide of FE estates funding for the North East
Government investment to unlock key growth generating projects
- Extend the 6 month Kickstart programme to 12 months in South Tyneside and areas disproportionality impacted by the crisis
- Prioritise Future High Street Fund bids from coastal communities, including our application for South Shields, breathing new life into our town centre
- Fund the development of manufacturing grow on space at Wardley, Monkton South and Bede industrial estates to allow our businesses to diversify and grow
- Arts Council support for key projects and organisations, and test events
- Continuing support to maintain our vital Metro and bus services
- Work with Government on a joint plan with multi-year funding for immediate support to avoid homelessness and additional accommodation
- Dedicated funding to enable town centre living to transform South Shields town centre
- Fund IAMP infrastructure requirements
- Create a Port & Marine Infrastructure Fund to get key waterfront sites offshore-wind ready
- Invest in the Holborn Renewable Energy Network to utilise low-carbon heat to reduce emissions
- Dedicated coastal community support needed given CV19 disproportionate impact
- Support us in rolling out electric bus fleets and permanent installation of bus corridors
- Progress with key transport schemes (such as ECML upgrade, reestablishment of the Leamside Line and expansion of the Metro network)
- Work with us on the case for White Mare Pool
- Improvements to link IAMP and the Port to both A19 (the key advanced manufacturing artery of the North East) and the A1M
Next steps
We will:
- Continue to monitor the impact of the crisis upon our economy and improve our data and intelligence gathering to identify issues and the progress with our Plan.
- Adapt our plan as the pandemic impact evolves.
- Implement an Action and Monitoring Plan to drive the actions in the plan with timescales, owners and outputs.
- Work up our shovel-ready plans into a ten-year Investment Plan and work closely with NECA, NELEP and Government to put these forward.
- Continue to ensure our recovery work aligns with the work already underway through our Director of Public Health 2019 report, 2020 Climate Change Strategy, 2019 Integrated Housing Strategy and 2020 draft Local Plan.