THOUSANDS of jobs could be created in and around Lowestoft within the next 10 years with the development of a new PowerPark in Lowestoft.The vision of Urban Regeneration Company 1st East, and partners from the public and private sector, was highlighted this week as a study from internationally renowned consultants Bruce Valpy Associates, in conjunction with Douglas Westwood Limited, was published on Monday.

THOUSANDS of jobs could be created in and around Lowestoft within the next 10 years with the development of a new PowerPark in Lowestoft.

The vision of Urban Regeneration Company 1st East, and partners from the public and private sector, was highlighted this week as a study from internationally renowned consultants Bruce Valpy Associates, in conjunction with Douglas Westwood Limited, was published on Monday.

With the jobs bonanza and future ramifications for the town likely to boost the local economy, as exclusively revealed in last week's Journal, the PowerPark demand and needs study was commissioned by 1st East and its partners.

And this photograph, and plan of the proposed area of the Lowestoft PowerPark, shows the scale of just where the scheme is to be situated and what could be delivered in the future.

With the PowerPark development launched to tie in with the announcement next month of the round three offshore windfarm, 1st East chief executive Philip Watkins said: 'Part of this case, which is being put forward to companies is that this sub region has been involved in this business for over 40 years and the transferable skills are already in place along with the facilities.

Mr Watkins believes the announcement in December could spark another 'coincidence of opportunity and geography.'

He said: 'Lowestoft and Yarmouth, often described as on the periphery, are exactly in the right location with the right skills to take advantage of the new growth sector, offshore renewable energy industry.'

'We have been doing a lot of work to progress the area action plan across Lowestoft, but we are accelerating the development of a PowerPark with a powerful alliance in place of public and private sector partners, who jointly commissioned some feasibility and technical studies.'

With the PowerPark research showing the best option for Lowestoft is to create a 'proposed 15 hectare centre for operations and maintenance for the energy sector' 1.000 people are being earmarked for employment on the new facility and others as part of the supply chain.

The study centres on attracting businesses from the offshore wind operations and maintenance, the offshore wind project construction, marine renewables, oil and gas, onshore wind, biomass, microgeneration, nuclear, carbon capture and storage and gas storage to create a major centre of excellence in marine engineering that features training facilities.

The report states that by 2020, based on industry estimates, an additional 950 direct and almost 4,000 indirect jobs in the local supply chain will be created with economic benefit from offshore wind operations and maintenance within the sub region alone expected to be �3 billion in total up to 2020.

Focusing on the jobs bonanza, the report adds: 'By 2020 we expect the following direct jobs as a result of the proposed PowerPark development: 100 electrical engineers, 200 civil engineers, 100 marine engineers, 100 marine operations, 100 office/general, 70 management, 50 logistics, 40 marine, 40 geotechnical.'

To view the study, visit www.1steast.co.uk/downloads/1st-East-and-BVG-Demand-and-Needs-Study-2Nov2009.pdf