IAMP: Building an advanced manufacturing park for Sunderland and South Tyneside

Technical details

Client

IAMP LLP

Dates

2014 – 2026

Missions

Development Consultant

Location

Sunderland / South Tyneside

Perimeter

Highways and Drainage, Highway Design & Engineering, Strategic Transport Modelling & Simulation, Drainage & Flood Risk Consulting, Development Planning

Activity

Highways & Roads

Laying the groundwork for a new era of manufacturing

The International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) is a joint venture between Sunderland and South Tyneside Councils (IAMP LLP) with the shared ambition of creating a high-quality strategic employment site. SYSTRA has supported the development of the site since 2014. This included work to remove the land from the Green Belt and obtain allocation for employment use – working to transform a 150-hectare site into an attractive location for national and international investment and job creation. The site will be home to advanced manufacturing facilities, including the UK’s first electric vehicle battery gigafactory.

As a highways and transport consultant for the IAMP, SYSTRA provided a comprehensive infrastructure design for the site, which included highways, drainage, earthworks, and a new bridge. A project vital to the UK’s manufacturing future, we were tasked with transforming transport access the 150-hectare site to support major manufacturing facilities, including a new gigafactory for Nissan’s battery partner, AESC UK.

The project had to navigate a complex planning application process and required a diligent approach from our team to address the sometimes challenging scope of work.

Designing an integrated solution

We were commissioned to design the highways, drainage, earthworks and a new bridge as part of the development. Our solution included a full suite of services that are crucial for a project of this scale, including:

• Highway design and signal-controlled junction design 

• Detailed bridge design

• Foul and surface water drainage design 

• Sustainable urban drainage systems (suds) and storm water attenuation strategy 

• Flood risk assessment 

• Volumetric earthworks exercise 

• External works design, including access roads.

Our team was selected for its multidisciplinary expertise and our long-standing role as a trusted partner on the project. We provided a complete design package that demonstrated our ability to deliver a technically robust solution for a nationally significant infrastructure project.

A transport-led design for a new industrial development

To overcome the challenges, we approached the project with an innovative mindset – committing to a sustainable design that incorporated as much of the original road construction as possible. We didn’t just design roads and drainage; we designed the very fabric of a new industrial ecosystem. Our solution was a collaboration, blending the technical demands of industrial buildings and a gigafactory with the needs of the surrounding community and environment.

We designed the new highway network to flow efficiently and smoothly, connecting the park seamlessly to the existing road infrastructure while using our BIM-compliant protocols to ensure a precision-engineered network. This wasn’t just about moving vehicles; it was about building lifelines for new businesses, ensuring efficient logistics for the factories. We also meticulously planned for people, integrating cycleways and footpaths to create a permeable site that encourages walking and cycling.

Our drainage solution was a standout feature. Instead of a traditional, hard-engineered approach, we implemented a living drainage system using sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS). This meant we were designing with nature, incorporating swales and ponds that function like natural sponges to manage storm water. This unique approach prevented flooding and protected local water quality, meeting the standards of the Water Framework Directive.

Delivering economic opportunity and regeneration for the North East

The successful approval of the plans by the council is testament to the diligence of our team. Our work has been instrumental in laying the groundwork for a major economic boost to the North East, with the site already having 623,000 sq ft built out and space for an additional 1 million sq ft. This has enabled key tenants, such as AESC UK, SNOP, Faltec Europe and Jatco, to occupy buildings and begin operations on site.

The IAMP project is set to have a profound impact on society by creating a high-quality strategic employment site that will attract significant national and international business investment. It will create thousands of jobs, regenerate the region, and support the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Our work on the project highlights our position as a leader in delivering complex, large-scale infrastructure projects that shape a more sustainable future.

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