“For years the Tyne has symbolised the strength and resilience of this region. Whether it be shipbuilding, exporting goods, fishing, living or leisure, the river has been an important barometer of economic wellbeing. So to see so many plans coming together to breathe new life into the old lady is very exciting. Even in these difficult times it seems the north bank of the Tyne is on the verge of something special.”
(Adam Jupp, 2009)
Newcastle was one of the worlds’ major centres for shipbuilding, particularly during the early part of the 20th century. During the economic depression in the mid 1920s the industry suffered from heavy job losses with unemployment rates rising.
The rebirth of the Tyne looks at this areas current plans to generate around 10,000 jobs over the next 15 years by creating a world leading hub for renewable energy. The building of a wind turbine factory on old ship yard sites is already underway. The aim is to build a large number of offshore wind farms to be sited off the coast of the UK and eventually worldwide helping to reduce the effects of global warming on the environment and reducing the reliance on non-renewable energy resources. This idea is to bring thousands of jobs back to the region, and could significantly boost economic development in the area.
