Assurances that Barry Waterfront jobs will 'stay local' (From Barry And District News)

Assurances that Barry Waterfront jobs will 'stay local'

8:50am Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News By Sharon Harris

BARRY Waterfront Consortium has said thousands of jobs will be created during their multi-million pound development construction period - after a Vale councillor sought 'local' employment assurances.

The Quays developers said the scheme represents a major private investment in Barry and the surrounding area, with one of its major benefits being the positive economic impact it will have on the community.

And it said a recent economic impact survey had indicated the development would pump an extra £150million into the economy over a 20 year period, while the construction period alone would create 1,700-person-years of full-time employment.

Barry Waterfront Consortium spokesman, Richard Keogh said: "We are still in the early stages of the development at the moment; however all the contractors we employ are generally local, as well as most of the sub-contractors.

"Once the development is finished a further 870 new jobs will be created, as well as 175 spin-off jobs from companies and services on the regenerated waterfront.

"A further 350 indirect jobs will be created across the south-east Wales region as a whole."

300 jobs will result from the opening of the new Asda store, which will anchor the development, and is expected to open in Autumn 2013.

Vale Council planning committee chairman, Cllr Fred Johnson, said it was ‘the council’s hope the Consortium would seek to employ as many local people and contractors as possible’ in the implementation of the scheme.

"The council’s approach is to support organisations and individuals to a common goal of local employment and as an example, in the case of the Premier Inn development, the Council worked with the developer and the local job centre to maximise opportunities for local employees,” said Cllr Johnson.

"The council would hope to offer this to other employers on the waterfront, especially in relation to long term employment beyond just the construction phase."