A THIRD Amazon warehouse is set to open within the 'next few months' bringing more than a thousand jobs to the region, The Northern Echo understands.
Fresh pictures have revealed the progress of the enormous warehouse being constructed at the Follingsby Max site near Gateshead.
The retailer, which last year opened sites in Durham and Darlington, is yet to confirm it is moving into the site but official documents reveal the development is owned and managed by Amazon.com Inc.
SEE MORE: First look inside Amazon's newest warehouse at Bowburn in Durham
Documents on Companies House show a company, known as NCL1 Ltd, which has been set up to run the site, is mainly controlled by the retailer.
Meanwhile it is understood to have already started its internal recruitment process, with senior managers among those who have already been offered jobs.
The warehouse, which is located opposite the Follingsby Park Industrial Estate, lies around four miles from Gateshead town centre and eight miles from Sunderland.
According to the Follingsby Max website, the development is "ideally placed" and within a 45 minutes drive of 1.6m people in the area.
In the North-East, Amazon already employs more than 2,000 full and part time people across its sites at Symmetry Park in Darlington and Integra 61 Industrial Estate in Bowburn, near Durham - it is thought the warehouse in Gateshead will employ a similar number of workers.
It is believed that the site, which will likely be named 'NCL1' as Amazon names each of its Fulfilment Centres after the nearest airport, will open towards the end of the year.
Speaking to The Echo Jonathan Walker, director of policy at the North East Chamber of Commerce welcomed reports that Amazon was moving into the site bringing a "substantial number of jobs" to the region.
He said: “The reports that Amazon is looking likely to establish a base in Gateshead is really tremendous news and testament to our reputation for providing a hard-working and skilled workforce.
"If the new facility is confirmed and of a similar size to the company’s other centres in our region it will undoubtedly create a substantial number of jobs, so important at this current time.”
Although it did not confirm or deny reports that it is moving into the site, Amazon did confirm that it was in control of the land at the Gateshead site.
A spokesperson for Amazon said: "Amazon has purchased land in the Gateshead area and further information on plans for this site will be made in due course.”
This comes as yet another warehouse, in addition to the Follingsby Max site, is expected to be built on Teesside.
SEE MORE: Major 'Amazon-sized' warehouse confirmed for the North-East - and 3,000 jobs planned
In November, plans have been submitted to Stockton Borough Council for an 'Amazon-sized' warehouse in Wynard, near Stockton.
The site, which is understood to be of similar size to the Amazon Fulfilment Centre in Darlington, is expected to create 3,000 jobs during its construction and operational phase and be fully-completed by September 2022.
- Gateshead Council was contacted for comment.
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