Newcaslte, England-based valve manufacturer BEL Valves is looking to set up a new £10 million subsea engineering facility for Newcastle’s Quayside.
Plans for the 20,000sq ft Neptune Test Centre on the now derelict Spillers Tyne Mill site, which will house four hyperbaric chambers that simulate the environment of subsea depths up to 4500m, have now been approved by the local authority.
As well as the testing facilities, the centre will also house dedicated research and development offices for the university, training rooms, conference rooms and visitor facilities, such as break out rooms.
For the project, BEL Valves set up a joint venture company with Newcastle University. Law firm Muckle LLP helped draw up the joint venture.