Northumberland planners unanimously approved Arlington Real Estate’s outline plan for the 126-acre West Hartford Park development at Cramlington, which is being brought forward with Homes England.

The approval adds fresh momentum to the recovering big-box market as developers revive major industrial and distribution schemes driven by demand linked to offshore wind, advanced manufacturing, AI infrastructure and clean technology investment.

West Hartford Park is the largest remaining strategic employment allocation in Northumberland and is expected to support more than 2,000 jobs and unlock over £150m of investment.

Plans include flexible industrial, manufacturing and logistics units ranging from 40,000 sq ft to 532,000 sq ft, alongside offices, innovation space and supporting retail amenity.

The site sits close to the deep-sea Port of Blyth and will be marketed as a “near port” location serving offshore wind, clean technology, advanced manufacturing and logistics occupiers.

Arlington said the scheme had already attracted strong occupier interest, helped by major power capacity, modern infrastructure and no highways restrictions.

Around 40 acres will be set aside for ecological mitigation, green space and landscaping.

Arlington Managing Director Dean Cook said: “This is one of the most important strategic employment sites in the region, and its scale, flexibility and infrastructure mean it is exceptionally well placed to support a wide range of sectors, including advanced manufacturing, logistics, clean energy and technology.”