North East leaders urge Tesla to think again about new factory
PA
15 December 2020, 1:01 pm
Political leaders in the North East of England have invited Tesla to tear up plans to built a gigafactory in Germany after environmental concerns caused delays there.
They have written to Elon Musk, asking him to invest in an electric car plant in the borough of Hartlepool instead of one near Berlin.
The Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and Hartlepool Council Leader Shane Moore said they had a site available where work could begin as soon as February.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen
Hartlepool was said to have been second on Tesla’s shortlist of European sites but lost out to Grunheide in Germany.
December 15, 2020
Amidst the delays that Tesla has been experiencing in Germany with the buildout of Gigafactory Berlin, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen and Hartlepool Council leader Shane Moore have expressed their intent to welcome the electric car maker to the North East England area. In a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Houchen and Moore pitched the idea of establishing a Gigafactory in Teesside, with the officials stating that work on the facility could start as early as February 2021.
As noted in a report from
The Northern Echo, the officials highlighted that the region offers “hundreds of acres identified ideal developable land, with the can-do attitude in political leadership necessary to ensure delivery of major projects.” Houchen and Moore also remarked that if Tesla decides to build a Gigafactory in the Teesside area, the electric car maker will not encounter any of the delays that it has been plagued with at its Gigafactory Berlin site.
But sources close to council leaders across the region last night told The Echo that the meeting had heard how health officials would be unlikely to recommend a drop in restrictions over concerns case numbers “could increase” between now and the date of the review, and that there was a real risk that case numbers could rise as ‘Christmas bubbles’ are introduced. Under the Government’s plans announced last month, up to three households will be allowed to mix for the five-day period between December 23 and December 27. It means that those choosing to mix with other households will not run the risk of hefty penalties provided they meet in private homes and gardens, places of worship or at outdoor public areas.
Mayor to mayor plea sounded in bid to bring beleaguered Transporter Bridge back into use
More details are due to be announced about the options being considered for the bridge s future this week
13:51, 14 DEC 2020
Updated
Latest Teesside headlines straight to your inboxInvalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later.
Subscribe
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Your information will be used in accordance with ourPrivacy Notice.
Thank you for subscribingWe have more newslettersShow meSee ourprivacy notice
A mayor-to-mayor plea has been sounded for extra cash to repair the beleaguered Transporter Bridge.
By Rachel Conner-Hill echorachelc Chief Reporter (Tees Valley & North Yorkshire)
Sergeant Major Stan Hollis, the only man to be awarded the VC for acts of bravery on D-Day A CALL has been made to rename a road after Teesside war hero Stanley Hollis – the only man to be awarded the Victoria Cross on D-Day. Company Sergeant Major Hollis , who served with the Green Howards, was born in Middlesbrough and was awarded the Victoria Cross for acts of heroism. A statue to the Second World War veteran was unveiled in Middlesbrough in 2015 but Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen has now launched a campaign to rename a street after him.