News & Events | News

Tuesday 4th March 2008

European law firm SJ Berwin LLP’s Planning and Environment team has assisted PD Ports in securing the final consents required for the £300m Northern Gateway Container Terminal at Teesport in the North East of England.  The deep sea terminal could create up to 5,500 jobs for the Tees Valley and has the potential to create significant new opportunities for inward investment and growth of existing businesses.  The applications for the consents were submitted only 22 months ago which is thought to be one of the quickest approval processes for a project of this type and scale.

The Department for Transport indicated on Thursday (21.02.08) that it has decided to make the Harbour Revision Order and the related Transport & Works Act Order which are needed for the project.  Planning permission for the landside works was granted by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council in October 2007, following a unanimous decision of the Planning Committee in April 2007 to approve the project.  PD Ports intend to have the first phase of the Northern Gateway Container Terminal operational by 2010.

SJ Berwin advised on the planning application for the landside operations, which comprise a 55 hectare container handling area behind a 1,000 m quay face with an inter-modal rail terminal, cargo handling equipment, lorry parking, offices and gatehouses.  Monica Peto and Kevin Sanderson, formerly of Rees and Freres (and now at Eversheds) advised on the applications for the two Orders.  SJ Berwin also advised on the Environmental Impact Assessment that supported all of the applications.

SJ Berwin planning partner Duncan Field commented, “It is extremely satisfying to see the final consents issued for the Northern Gateway.  We were fortunate enough to work with a very talented team and a client that was extremely determined but also very sensitive to the opinions and interests of all the various stakeholders.  The fact that the consents and orders were obtained within 22 months is a testament to that.  This is good news for the North East economy and good news for the UK, in terms of securing a more sustainable pattern of freight distribution.  We look forward to working with PD Ports through the next stage of delivering the Northern Gateway.” 

Planning & Environment partner Duncan Field led the team at SJ Berwin which also includes Senior Associate, Daniel Farrand.

For further information please contact:

Duncan Field on +44 (0)20 7111 2225, email duncan.field@sjberwin.com or Rosemary Thorpe on +44 (0)20 7111 2465, email rosemary.thorpe@sjberwin.com  

S J Berwin LLP

• On 1 June 2005 SJ Berwin LLP, an English limited liability partnership, took over the business of the SJ Berwin general partnership.  SJ Berwin LLP or an affiliated undertaking has an office in Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris and Turin.
   
• SJ Berwin LLP was named ‘UK Firm of the Year’ at the Global Chambers Awards 2007 and Private Equity Team of the Year at the Financial News Legal Awards 2007. 
   
• SJ Berwin's Real Estate Division totals 150 staff  in London of which 23 are partners (3 of which are tax partners), and over 70 associates, encompassing the disciplines of Commercial Real Estate, Construction, Planning & Environment, Property Litigation, Real Estate Funds and Tax.  In addition there are 3 partners specialising in real estate in our Continental European offices.  There is an increasing emphasis on cross departmental activity with related areas of Banking and Corporate and also cross border / pan European real estate work, with our European offices.  The division acts for blue chip clients including British Land, Royal Bank of Scotland, the Hilton Group, Brixton plc, AXA, The Crown Estate, Marks & Spencer and Gazeley.
   
• The Real Estate Team was Legal Business Real Estate Team of the Year 2005.  It was also named "Real Estate Team of the Year" in the Lawyer Magazine Awards 2004, following its advice on the RBS/Canary Wharf transaction, the highest-value property investment transaction in the UK in 2004.  It was shortlisted Real Estate team of the Year in this year’s British Legal awards.
   
• Revenue from Real Estate represents approximately 21% of the firm's total revenue in London.
  

PD Ports

• On October 11th 2007,  PD PORTS received an Award for Excellence for the Northern Gateway in the category of Transport, Policy and Planning from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.  For further information on PD Ports or the project please go to www.pdports.co.uk