Feeling blue
To be an AI data centre superpower or meet net zero targets, that is the question.
It’s certainly the question that provoked a Cabinet row and resulted in Energy Secretary Ed Miliband delaying a decision on granting permission for BP’s hydrogen project at the former Redcar Steelworks.
BP’s proposal would see “blue” hydrogen produced from natural gas, while capturing and storing the carbon emissions - delivering 10% of Miliband’s 2030 hydrogen production target.
It is being pursued through a Development Consent Order (DCO), which bypasses the need for council planning permission, and means the decision ultimately lies with the relevant Secretary of State.
If that can be called the “blue” corner, lined up in the red corner, in support of building a giant data centre at the same Teesworks site, are Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, some other senior ministers, site owners Teesworks Ltd, and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen (who used to be in the blue corner, although there was only one corner at the time, to be fair).
Teesworks Ltd has already obtained outline planning permission for a 500,000 sqm data centre campus, despite formal objections from BP.
The Telegraph reported that tensions over the competing projects have escalated to such a degree that Kyle consulted lawyers on ways to prevent Miliband from approving the hydrogen plant.
If he did, then BP could compulsorily purchase the land thereby denying any chance of the data centre being built.
In the event, Miliband decided to “gather more evidence” and has pushed back his decision on the DCO until the end of November. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver her Autumn Statement on Wednesday November 26.
Staying power
Hartlepool Power Station, which had been scheduled to be decommissioned next year, has been given a second extension to continue generating electricity until 2028.
The announcement from EDF is not only good news for the 700 staff there, it gives more time to build the case for transforming Hartlepool into a hub for next-generation nuclear technology.
“This is hugely welcome news for Hartlepool,” said MP Jonathan Brash. “But this must not be the end of the story. Hartlepool deserves a long-term commitment to nuclear renewal. With the opportunity of Advanced Modular Reactors, we can build on our existing skills and supply chain, attract billions of pounds of investment, and safeguard our role in Britain’s clean energy future for decades to come.”
We’re good
It makes a pleasant change to see the North East at the right end of a league table. The Charities Aid Foundation says 25% of companies give to charity through donating staff time, money or goods - but the figure rises to 41% in the North East.
Their report gives a particular mention to Greggs, Northumbrian Water, Newcastle Building Society, Port of Tyne and Ringtons for their deep community ties and sustained support for local causes.
Rob Williamson, chief executive of the Community Foundation North East, said: “In a region distant from London socially and economically, ‘charity starts at home’ resonates here.”
Danger alert
Measles is dangerous and highly infectious - yet vaccination rates for MMR in the North East remain dangerously below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.
Dr Catherine Monaghan, medical director for the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said doctors were worried about the resurgence of the virus, with babies and young children, pregnant women, and those with a weakened immune system at increased risk.
Jobs worry
The parent company of chemicals firm Venator has gone into administration but their three sites in the North East are continuing to trade as normal.
The 500 staff at Greatham and Wynyard on Teesside and Birtley, Gateshead, have been told that administrators are looking to sell the UK business. Venator has operations in Spain, France, the US, Malaysia and Germany with a global workforce of 2,250.
More is less
Only one direct train per hour runs in each direction between Newcastle and Manchester - and that’s the way it will stay until the East Coast Main Line north of York is upgraded.
A new rail timetable due to come into force in December will see an increase in the number of journeys between Newcastle and London.
But Gateshead leader Martin Gannon told a Transport for the North committee meeting that there was “gross dissatisfaction” about the situation and that the timetable change was “about as welcome as the plague” for much of the North East, given that faster and more frequent journeys between Newcastle to London will be achieved through having fewer trains stop at Darlington, Durham, Morpeth, and Berwick.
And Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham criticised the decision to prioritise north-south travel over east-west.
Rubbish vote
Councillors in Newcastle have voted in favour of pulling out of a controversial waste incinerator project at Redcar, which will take up to 450,000 tonnes of waste every year from seven North East councils on a contract that could run for up to 40 years.
However, the vote was not binding and it is unlikely that the minority Labour administration’s Cabinet will agree to withdraw from the £2.1bn Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF) project.
Vapes warning
A female hospital patient in her 50s has been left badly burned after using a vape while wearing an oxygen mask. Managers at Sunderland Royal Hospital have issued an urgent warning amid a rise in vaping on wards and corridors which put staff and patients at risk.
A quick word
Abigail Pogson is to leave Gateshead’s Glasshouse International Centre for Music after 10 years as chief executive to lead London’s Barbican Centre from January 2026. Newcastle city councillor Thom Campion, 27, will go on trial at Newcastle Magistrates Court on January 30 next year after denying a charge of sexually assaulting a woman after inviting her to go upstairs “to look at a teddy bear”. Sunderland planners have approved the installation of 222 solar panels on the roof of an Aldi supermarket which is being built off Philadelphia Lane, north of Houghton-le-Spring. The fourth Teesside Restaurant Week will begin on October 20. Plans for nine affordable homes in the popular tourist resort of Seahouses have been approved by Northumberland planning committee - the homes will only be let to people with a local connection and can’t be used as second homes or holiday lets. Around 600 people answered an appeal for mourners and attended the funeral service at South Shields crematorium for 91-year-old RAF veteran John Gray of Boldon Colliery who died with no surviving family or friends. Darlington's flagship railway attraction, the Hopetown Museum, had 127,000 visitors in its first year - significantly fewer than the 275,000 annual target but officials are hopeful that a recent TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice Award will help grow its popularity. Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen says he is planning to ask the public whether to go ahead with expensive repairs to Middlesbrough’s Transporter Bridge or build a new one. Experts from Historic England have examined the Sycamore Gap tree and found it to be at least 100 to 120 years old when it was illegally felled. Newcastle City Council has agreed to forward concerns about Israeli-owned Pearson Engineering’s Armstrong Works on Scotswood Road to the Government after receiving a petition signed by more than 5,000 people. North East mayor Kim McGuinness has promised increased transparency and greater public accountability of the Metro and Shields Ferry services.
Having a ball
I know from experience that you can encounter all sorts of characters and costumes on the Great North Run, but attempting to take on the world’s biggest half marathon while performing keepy-uppy with a football?
That’s what Jesse James, 51, from Chester-le-Street, is planning to do on Sunday to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of his daughter Jessica who passed away from leukaemia. He’s hoping to complete the course in five hours. Good luck to him and all the other runners.
It has been announced that the 2026 AJ Bell Great North Run will take place on Sunday September 13. The ballot for places is already open and closes in a few days time, on September 14, with the successful runners announced the next day.
Extra incentive
Mark Robson, son of the great man himself, will be one of 122 Sir Bobby Robson Foundation fundraisers taking part in Sunday’s Great North Run.
He thinks that the unveiling of plans this week for the £30m Sir Bobby Robson Institute cancer research centre, to be built in the grounds of the Freeman Hospital, will put an extra spring in everyone’s step.
Plans were submitted this week for approval by Newcastle planners. The foundation has already raised £20m towards the cost of the pioneering research and treatment centre and a £10m fundraising campaign will launch soon in the hope that construction can begin next year and be completed by 2028.
Good Knick
Newcastle United have announced the appointment of David Hopkinson as their new CEO. The 54-year-old Canadian was president and COO at Madison Square Garden Sports in the US, where he led the business operations of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.
The former global head of partnerships at Real Madrid starts today and will undertake a handover process supported by outgoing CEO Darren Eales, who is stepping down for health reasons.
Heroic effort
You may already know about the amazing Lyndon Longhorne, who became the first quadruple amputee to complete an Ironman Triathlon in less than 24 hours.
But you really need to read Peter Barron’s inside story to realise the true enormity of what that young man has achieved.
Lyndon was struck down with meningitis as a baby. To save his life, doctors had no choice but to amputate both legs, an arm and the fingers tips from his other hand.
Despite his disabilities, the little boy from Crook, in County Durham, developed a love of swimming and dreamed of representing Great Britain at the Paralympics, something he achieved in Tokyo in 2021.
His finish to his Ironman Triathlon this week was bordering on the unbelievable, beating the 24 hour mark with only 30 seconds to spare.
Business bites
Former Port of Tyne CEO Andrew Moffat is to take over from Jeff Reid as Chair of Advance Northumberland, the county council’s economic regeneration company. Offsite construction specialist Merit is progressing with expansion plans despite an unexpected winding-up petition from HMRC. The petition was served against holding company Merit Group Services and is said to have no impact on sites or the trading business. The latest accounts for Ramside Estates show that turnover and profits are heading in the right direction while significant investment is being made in the golfing and leisure facilities at Ramside Hall. The five-star Rockliffe Hall has completed the purchase of the four-star Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, which went into administration in March with an asking price of £3.25m. Durham University and Raby Castle have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that formalises nearly a decade of collaboration and will bring practical benefits to both students and the estate. Newcastle-based marketing agency Silverbean is celebrating achieving B Corp status. CEO Neil Robbins said: “It’s a reflection of the incredible commitment, care, and hard work our entire team has put into building a business that does the right thing, for our people, our clients, and the planet.” Sunderland AFC have appointed Mike Papadimitriou as chief financial officer, a role that will be part of his wider responsibilities with Bia Sports Group, owners of the Premier League football club. Revenues at Blyth-based robotics company Tharsus halved as its key contract with supermarket chain Ocado came to an end, but the company remains profitable and is targeting sales in new sectors. Founder Brian Palmer said: “With our 60-year track record, strong balance sheet, talented team and the investments we’ve made, we are optimistic about the opportunities ahead.”
1990s ad break
Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park produced a five-minute film in 1989 called Creature Comforts which took unscripted interviews with members of the public and lip-synced them to plasticine zoo models, making it look like the animals were being interviewed about their enclosures.
The format was adapted for the UK Electricity Board’s Heat Electric ads which began in 1990 and ran for three years, featuring a tortoise, a cat, a family of penguins, two Scottish pandas and a Brazilian parrot.
The warm and cosy tone of the ads reflected the warmth and homeliness of central heating. Their genius lies in pairing fairly banal real-life interviews with quirky humour and sharp observation in the animation – such as in the antics of the non-speaking characters and in the odd little things happening in the background.
And there was a nice sign-off line: “For all your creature comforts - heat electric”.
THE WIDER VIEW
Trouble-sum!
The amount of money sloshing around in the English Premier League is staggering, especially when you consider that one in three children in this country are growing up in poverty.
Mike Ashley made a tidy profit when he sold Newcastle United for £305m in October 2021. In the past few weeks Liverpool have spent more than that on buying just three players, including Newcastle striker Alexander Isak for a British record fee of £125m.
That move was one of several that took place in the hours before the transfer window closed. In contrast to all that activity, Telegraph sports writer Thom Gibbs had the bright idea of spending deadline day at a training camp run by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) where unemployed footballers get the chance to train and play together and put themselves in the shop window.
He met former Sunderland player Connor Whickham, who once played in an FA Cup Final for Crystal Palace, and Rolando Aarons who made 22 senior appearances for Newcastle.
“I feel like I’ve still got a lot to give,” said Whickham. “So that’s why I’m here. It gets your face out there in the games they put on that are streamed. It’s a great platform to get in front of managers and scouts.
“You can do all the running in the park you want. Here you’ve got 20-30 sets of eyes on you for the week, people you can trust to pass on the information to teams if they do call.”
Players can also show prospective clubs digital passports which contain their physical data from the camp, which is provided free by the PFA, the players’ union.
Last season 100 camp attendees went on to sign for a club. This season 50 have already secured deals with that number likely to rise because the players are free agents and able to sign for a club no matter if the transfer window is open or closed.
Park life
Parks are public places - but private event organisers are muscling in, according to an article in The Conversation.
The author highlights this summer’s reunion tour by Oasis and their five nights at Manchester’s Heaton Park, turning the city’s largest green space into a no-go zone for many people for two months.
“The Oasis shows tap into a wider debate about the use of public parks for festivals and events. Why is a space designed for community relaxation doubling up as a mega-venue?”
The question will have a particular relevance in Newcastle where the city council has taken back control of the parks from the charity Urban Green, who were prevented from hosting big music events at Exhibition Park - because of noise restrictions imposed by the council.
And finally…
