Blyth Town Investment Plan

The Town Investment Plan sets the scene for what our ambitions are for the future of Blyth.

As the home of renewable energy growth in the North East, Blyth is on an exciting journey of transformation with a unique story to tell, from coal exporting powerhouse in the 19th century, to its rapidly developing role today as the leading clean energy port.

The Town Investment Plan describes Blyth’s potential as a clean growth beacon for the UK, leading the way in delivering the Government’s Net Zero carbon commitments. It sets out how the town will be transformed to improve the quality of life for residents and attract more visitors in the next coming years.

Within the Town Investment Plan, there are several proposed projects to regenerate Blyth by 2026, browse the website to view these in more detail.

Please also see the Future ambitions page for further details on proposed plans in 2024-2025.

Following consultation with the community and other key stakeholders in Blyth during 2020, we have agreed the following strategic objectives for Blyth:

Growing Town - To grow our economy and productivity by capitalising on our unique strengths in the clean energy sector, investing in business growth, high-quality job creation, and education & skills, for the benefit of our people, communities and businesses.
Vibrant Town - To increase vibrancy and activity in Blyth town centre, creating a thriving community of residents, businesses, learners and workers using the centre for leisure and culture, education, employment, and housing, and a destination where everyone feels welcome and safe.
Connected Town - To make Blyth an accessible and well-connected town, supporting growth and improving quality of life by making it easier for residents, workers, learners, visitors and businesses to arrive at and move around the town.
Inclusive Town - To enable Blyth’s people, communities and businesses to share in the benefits of economic growth, and to be resilient to social challenges including unemployment and economic exclusion, digital exclusion, crime, health and wellbeing, and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Clean Growth Town - ross cutting priority – To establish Blyth as a UK exemplar in clean growth, placing environmental sustainability at the heart of all investments and delivering on Northumberland’s commitment to be a net zero carbon county by 2030

Towns Fund Prospectus
Towns Fund Further Guidance
Towns Fund FAQs

The fund aims to support urban regeneration in towns through investment, strengthening cultural assets, supporting skills and business development for local people and businesses, and improving local transport and digital connectivity

To oversee this deal, in line with Government guidance, the Blyth Town Deal Board was established in February 2020. It is made up of representatives from key public, private and community sector organisations and its role is to steer Blyth’s vision and objectives for the Town Deal, to oversee the creation of the Town Investment Plan and then the delivery of the projects within the deal. (Membership details to be confirmed.)

Alan Ferguson (Chair) - Fergusons Transport
Steven Harrison - Advance Northumberland
Andrew Thelwell - Bede Academy
Rev Canon Ian Flintoft - Blyth Churches Together
Fran Castle - Blyth Culture Advisory Group
Clive Gray - Blyth Culture Advisory Group
Wendy Scott - Blyth Cultural Advisory Group (Northumberland County Council)
Cllr Kath Nisbet - Blyth Town Council
Cllr Warren Taylor - Blyth Town Council
Thom Bradley - Blyth Valley Community Voluntary Action
Dale Cartie - Community Representative
Sharron Fawcett - Community Representative
Claire Young - Community Representative
Jonathan Aust - Health Representative
Debbie Draper - Jobcentre Plus
Ian Lavery - Member of Parliament for Blyth & Ashington Constituency
Jon Ridley - Newcastle College
Jane Robinson - Newcastle University
Heather Orton - North East Combined Authority
Sarah McMillan - Northumberland County Council
Cllr Wojciech Ploszaj - Northumberland County Council
Cllr Richard Wearmouth - Northumberland County Council
Jan Willis - Northumberland County Council
Steven Hume - Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner Northumbria
Tony Quinn - ORE Catapult
Martin Lawlor - Port of Blyth
Matthew (Mags) Margetts - Small Business Representative