Whitby is to get a £10m investment to help its residents find work in the expanding offshore renewable industries.
North Yorkshire Council is consulting on a new Whitby Maritime Hub designed to provide training and certification opportunities for the maritime, marine and offshore industries.
The funding for the project will come from the £17.1m given to Whitby as part of the Government’s Town Deal scheme.
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 put the town at the forefront of the growing renewable energy sector.
Additionally, the hub will also provide accommodation for maritime businesses and service providers to further support economic growth in the Whitby area.
Coun Derek Bastiman said: “We believe the hub will become a renowned centre of maritime training and enterprise which strengthens and supports the local seafaring sector.
“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.”
The hub has been designed to blend in with the existing views of the town. Workshops on its ground and first floors will house the current and new wharf-based operations and functions of the Harbour Authority.
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.
