Isle of Wight East MP, Joe Robertson, has reacted to news that hundreds of staff at Vestas wind turbine factory on the Island are facing redundancy.
It's thought around half of the 600-strong workforce at the Newport site could lose their jobs, with demand diminishing for the blades they make on site.
Vestas says it plans to repurpose the site and offer jobs to 300 of those currently employed.
A consultation is underway, with the result to be announced in January 2025.
Joe Robertson said:
“Earlier today, Vestas shared their plans to repurpose their Isle of Wight manufacturing site from producing offshore wind turbine blades to onshore wind turbines.
"They say that this transition is made in agreement with the Government and comes as demand for offshore turbines is declining and the need for onshore energy solutions is increasing.
"I am obviously hugely disappointed, and it will cause great stress to employees and their families, particularly at this time of year.
“I understand that Vestas have given assurances that employees not retained at the Medina site will be offered opportunities within other parts of the business, including roles supporting operations at other Vestas sites.
“However, it is no good offering jobs hundreds of miles away meaning young working families decide to leave the Island for good.
"If there are jobs available in the Solent area, we know that the cost of commuting off the Island is high and ferry services are unreliable, so this is not a viable option for many.
“Not all of the jobs at risk on the Island are currently filled by people living on the Island and I have asked that jobs done by Island residents are prioritised for saving in the workforce reorganisation.”
The Newport factory opened its doors in 2002 but the blades it produces are far smaller than modern ones and the site cannot be adapted.
Vestas said it reached an agreement in principle with the UK government to produce blades for the UK's onshore wind farms which would allow it to repurpose the factory and save around half the jobs.
It comes after the government lifted a ban on onshore wind as part of its clean energy plans.
Anders Nielsen, Group CTOO of Vestas, said:
“We have invested in jobs and manufacturing activities on the Isle of Wight for more than two decades, and we have great pride in the technical expertise that has been developed at the site
“We are pleased that this partnership in principle with the UK Government means we can continue manufacturing activities at the Isle of Wight to support the deployment of onshore wind in the UK.
“The commitment to domestic manufacturing and clean energy from the new government and Secretary of State has been instrumental in making this decision.
“My sincere gratitude goes to everyone working for us on the Isle of Wight, for their significant contribution to wind energy, and we are pleased to be retaining, and offering a significant number of opportunities for our impacted colleagues during this process.”
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