[OFFICIAL]
1.15 Anglo American has also focused £34 million of social investment on supporting young local people, social economic development and local community and environmental projects. This includes Anglo American’s Thriving Communities Programme, planning commitments and the Woodsmith Foundation, which continues to support local people and community organisations. 1.16 In 2014, Quod projected that, “ the development would bring significant national benefits and contribute to the Government’s core economic objectives of increasing economic growth, rebalancing the economy, increasing exports, achieving Full Employment and reducing the deficit.” While so much of the global and UK economic and political context has changed over this period, the commitment of Anglo American to achieve these goals remains, and its track record so far has demonstrated the projected scale of impact is achievable.
Addressing regional challenges
1.17 The Project’s area of impact (where its supply chain and labour market effects will be) is extensive. This area around the Project is characterised by inequality – and in the less prosperous communities, unemployment, deprivation, low skill attainment and an ageing population remain the long term legacy of post-industrial decline. It includes large parts of Teesside, in particular Redcar and Cleveland Borough, and Scarborough Borough, two areas where there are significant pockets of extreme deprivation that are amongst the most deprived in the country.
1.18 York and its surrounds are generally prosperous – but the deprivation in the North East and communities along the coast is highly concentrated and persistent.
1.19 Even within the relatively prosperous Park boundaries, there are issues of an ageing population and out-migration of young people and a heavy reliance on sectors that are at risk of decline – such as agriculture and public services (including defence) – or offer a lot of part- time or seasonal work such as tourism. 1.20 In Redcar and Cleveland there are only 0.56 jobs per person, compared to an average of 0.74 across the North East, 0.82 in Yorkshire and the Humber and an average of 0.87 across England and Wales. While Scarborough Borough’s job density is relatively high (0.98), 1 in 5 jobs are in tourism related sectors, with associated seasonal and cyclical vulnerability and relatively low pay. The average resident of Middlesborough or Redcar earns between £4,000 and £5,000 less per year than the average for England and Wales. 1.21 The local population is ageing – most significantly in Scarborough Borough – and growing at much lower rate than the UK average (less than 2% for the coastal local authorities in the North East). 1.22 While a third of people across England and Wales have a degree level qualification or equivalent 9 , this is only 25% in Redcar and Cleveland and 28% within the travel to work area for the Woodsmith Project.
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Quod | Woodsmith Project | Economic Impact Report | March 2026
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