Car plant's £14m training centre approved

The training hub will be in an existing building close to Nissan's factory

A £14m centre to train people into the automotive sector has won planning approval.

The Nissan-led facility in Washington, Sunderland, will develop skills in welding and fabrication, material handling and robotics at an existing building close to the firm's factory.

The development is one of two open access training facilities at the International Advance Manufacturing Park and is expected to receive £9.6m from the North East Combined Authority.

Nissan said the development will aim to be self-sustaining within five years and generate money through the delivery of apprenticeships, sub-letting office space and making the company's training commercially available.

The plans were approved unanimously on Monday, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.