Plans for a commercial and industrial development, which is set to provide more than one million sq ft of space on the edge of Cramlington, have officially been submitted.

Arlington Real Estate and Homes England have submitted a masterplan outline planning application for West Hartford Park. Spanning 126 acres, the employment site is located just minutes from the deep-sea Port of Blyth.

The proposed development seeks to support the expansion of the port and forms a key part of the Energy Central Partnership, which positions South East Northumberland as a national hub for offshore and renewable energy, clean technology and advanced manufacturing, while also supporting the recently announced AI Growth Zones.

The Port of Blyth, home to the ORE Catapult's testing facilities, is working closely with Arlington and Homes England to maximise economic impact and attract major national and international investors.

Although the scheme has not yet launched its marketing campaign, West Hartford Park has already generated strong interest from a number of large-scale occupiers. It is expected to create about 2,000 new jobs and generate more than £400m of investment for the North East economy.

placeholder image — Arlington Real Estate

Dean Cook, managing director of Arlington Real Estate, said: "Submitting the planning application marks an important milestone in unlocking the full potential of West Hartford Park. This is the only site in the region capable of delivering development at this scale, in a location that has the power, infrastructure and global connectivity that large occupiers require.

"Collaboration with the Port of Blyth means this project will directly support the growth of the offshore and renewable energy sector, as well as advanced manufacturing, logistics and AI sectors, bringing jobs, investment and long-term economic value to Northumberland and the wider North East."

Councillor Richard Wearmouth, deputy leader of Northumberland County Council and cabinet member for business, growth and regeneration, added: "This is very welcome news for our largest remaining employment site in the current local plan.

"Making maximum use of the West Hartford site is incredibly important to our ongoing drive to bring further investment and job opportunities into Northumberland."

Martin Lawlor OBE, chief executive of the Port of Blyth, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership to help develop West Hartford Park. Once approved, the site will not only provide important additional capacity for port-related development but will also be a catalyst for further economic growth across the region."