A new development made in collaboration with Sellafield and Copeland Council officially opened this week.

The Engineering Centre of Excellence at Cleator Moor was declared open by Sellafield CEO Martin Chown and Spot, the robotic dog used to detect hazardous areas in the nuclear power company’s site.

The Centre relocates engineering and maintenance specialists from Sellafield into a refurbished unit at the Leconfield industrial estate. It is used to test equipment and solve problems without the constraints of a nuclear site. The off-site location also makes it easier for the teams to work more closely with the supply chain.

Mr Chown said: “This is a fantastic example of how we are changing how we do things at Sellafield; moving work that doesn’t need to be done on the site out into the community for mutual benefit.

Engineering solutions play a key part in delivering our purpose of creating a clean, safe environment for future generations, and developments like this give us the space for more innovation and collaboration with our supply chain partners.”

Pat Graham, Copeland Borough Council’s CEO added: “This is an important milestone for the Industrial Solutions Hub and demonstrates to the community in Cleator Moor that we are serious about bringing opportunities to the town.

Elected Mayor of Copeland Mike Starkie also attended the opening and said: “This is collaborative working at its finest. The building has been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility which frees up engineers and maintenance specialists to work off site.

I was treated to a tour before the official opening and the workspace really is designed for those who are going to use it. Demonstrations of some of their robotics were mind blowing.

It doesn’t end their either. More investment will be ploughed into the Estate and that’s alongside the £20 million coming from government as part of the Town’s Deal. We are really going to see change in this town, it’s needed and it’s deserved.”