A £10 million investment will be made into a North Yorkshire town to place it at the forefront of the expanding offshore renewable industries.

North Yorkshire Council is starting a pre-planning consultation on a new Whitby Maritime Hub, which will provide training and certification opportunities for the maritime, marine and offshore industries, to residents of Whitby and the wider area.

The funding for the project will come from the £17.1 million that was given to Whitby as part of the Government’s Town Deal scheme which awarded the town as well as Scarborough a total of £37.3 million in 2021.

Building on Whitby’s proud fishing and sailing heritage, the hub in Endeavour Wharf will address a local need to develop a better supply of technical abilities in the maritime sector and maximise job opportunities.

Additionally, the hub will also provide accommodation for maritime businesses and service providers to further support economic growth in the Whitby area.

North Yorkshire Council executive member Cllr Derek Bastiman, said: “This is a £10 million investment and we believe the hub will become a renowned centre of maritime training and enterprise which strengthens and supports the local seafaring sector.

The Northern Echo: Join us at Ramside Hall Join us at Ramside Hall (Image: Newsquest)

  • Which North East business has particularly impressed you this year? Take a few moments to NOMINATE THEM HERE for one of our awards.

“It will open the door to new economic and tourism growth for Whitby and Scarborough as well as the wider area and help to create the next generation of skilled apprentices and professions by providing first-class training and facilities for a range of maritime industries.

“Young people will have a route into highly-skilled maritime trades, like the growing offshore renewables sector, from on their doorstep without the need to travel out of the area.”

Workshops on the hub’s ground and first floors will house the current and new wharf-based operations and functions of the Harbour Authority.

The Northern Echo: The new hub would be in a prominent positionThe new hub would be in a prominent position (Image: Submitted)

There will be space for classroom-based training, engineering workshops and marine biology laboratories, offering opportunities for training and employment in areas ranging from marine biology to emerging industries, such as off-shore wind.

The second floor will be an office space for marine-based start-up businesses and other maritime industries. The space is intended to be occupied by local, regional and national businesses and organisations, making Whitby a hub of maritime activity.

This will enable new and innovative commercial opportunities in the maritime and marine sectors to support growth in the local economy and reduce reliance on seasonal employment.

The manager of Whitby Lobster Hatchery, Joe Redfern, said: “We still have a thriving fishing industry dependent on crab and lobster stocks.

“Bringing together different organisations all together under one roof in the maritime hub will provide an amazing opportunity for young people in Whitby to explore a career in these industries.”

Consultations

The consultation is now open and will run for four weeks, closing on Friday, February 9.

In person events, at which the public can ask any questions to council officers and find out more information, will be taking place on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, January 23, from 10am to 4pm, at Eastside Community Centre.
  • Saturday, January 27, from 10am to 4pm, at Whitby Coliseum.
  • Wednesday, January 31, from 10am to 7pm, at Whitby Coliseum.

Cllr Neil Swannick, the member for the Whitby Streonshalh division on North Yorkshire Council, said: “The hub will give Whitby an economic boost and move the town away from a reliance on seasonal tourism and hospitality.

“The consultation is now open, and I would urge people to give us their feedback as we head to the planning application stage.”

More information is available at www.northyorks.gov.uk/WhitbyMaritimeHub