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. 

Map of Blyth with boundries

Map of Blyth Spatial Plan
Following consultation with the community and other key stakeholders in Blyth during 2020, we have agreed the following strategic objectives for Blyth:
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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
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
Mark Warnes - Active Northumberland
Robin Earl - Advance Northumberland
Andrew Thelwell - Bede Academy
Rev Canon Ian Flintoft - Blyth Churches Together
Thom Bradley - Blyth Community Network
Wendy Scott - Blyth Cultural Network (Northumberland County Council)
Cllr Warren Taylor - Blyth Town Council
Greg Gavin - Blyth Town Forum (and Northumberland County Council)
Rob Strettle - Energising Blyth Project Board
John Hildreth - Energy Central Steering Group
Angela Cosimini - Frameworks
Ian Levy - MP
Scott Bullock - Newcastle College
Jane Robinson - Newcastle University
Helen Golightly - North East Local Enterprise Partnership
Rob Hamilton - North of Tyne Combined Authority
Cllr Kath Nisbet - Northumberland County Council
Cllr Wojciech Ploszaj - Northumberland County Council
Cllr Glen Sanderson - Northumberland County Council
Cllr Richard Wearmouth - Northumberland County Council
Tony Quinn - ORE Catapult
Martin Lawlor - Port of Blyth
Matthew Murray - Tharsus

Advisors:
Alex Jarvis - Department of Business and Trade
Taylor Sharp - Department of Business and Trade
Future dates:
28 March 2024


07 December 2023
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 07 December 23
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 07 December 23

14 December 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 14 December 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 14 December 2022

28 September 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 28 September 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 28 September 2022

27 July 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 27 July 22
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 27 July 22

29 June 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 29 June 22
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 29 June 22

23 May 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 23 May 22
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 23 May 22

27 April 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 27 Apr 22
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 27 Apr 22

26 January 2022
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 26 Jan 22
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 26 Jan 22

22 October 2021
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 22 Oct 21
Byth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 22 Oct 21

27 September 2021
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 27 Sep 21
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 27 Sep 21

05 August 2021
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 05 Aug 21
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 05 Aug 21

21 July 2021
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 21 Jul 21
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 21 Jul 21

13 January 2021
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 13 Jan 21
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 13 Jan 21

2 December 2020
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 02 Dec 20
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 02 Dec 20

4 November 2020
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA - 04 Nov 20
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES - 04 Nov 20
Blyth Town Deal Code of Conduct (revised)
Governance & Terms of Reference (revised)
Governance paper summary sheet

30 September 2020
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA 30 Sep 20
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES draft 30 Sep 20

29 July 2020
Blyth-Town-Deal-Board-Agenda-29-Jul-20
Blyth Town Deal MINUTES 29 Jul 20

6 March 2020
Blyth Town Deal Board AGENDA 06 Mar 20 
Blyth Town Deal Board MINUTES 06 Mar 20