ScottishPower Renewables has appointed East Anglian contractor R G Carter to design and build its new East Anglia offshore windfarm base, pushing the company's spend with the regional supply chain beyond £100 million for the first time.

The landmark threshold coincides with demolition works beginning at the former RJ Pryce site on Trinity Road in Lowestoft. Ipswich-based Tru Demolition is clearing the site, which will become home to the new operations facility.

The purpose-built base, costing £9 million and covering nearly 6,000m², will comprise a three-storey building with office and administration space, a Control Room and Marine Coordination Centre, plus a dedicated warehouse.

Designed to accommodate around 100 people, the development will create additional local employment and will complement ScottishPower Renewables' nearby East Anglia ONE facility, which will continue operating under its existing 30-year lease with Associated British Ports.

Construction by R G Carter is scheduled to start in the new year. The award-winning firm has worked across the East of England for more than a century, delivering projects from the restoration of Lowestoft Post Office to specialist education facilities at Fred Nicholson SEND School in Swaffham and world-class research facilities at Norwich Research Park. The company is currently supporting more than 60 apprentices as part of its investment in future talent across the region.

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Alex Mackay, for R G Carter, said: "As a business with deep roots in East Anglia, we are proud to be supporting ScottishPower Renewables on this important investment in Lowestoft. Our commitment to building for the future has seen us deliver renewable energy projects for more than 20 years, and this project represents a fantastic opportunity for us to support the UK's clean energy transition while creating lasting benefits for local communities"

Jess Asato, MP for Lowestoft, added: "This is fantastic news for Lowestoft and another vote of confidence in our town's growing role in Britain's clean energy future. This investment by ScottishPower Renewables will bring skilled jobs, training opportunities and more people working in the heart of Lowestoft, helping to support our town centre shops, cafés and other local businesses.

"I welcome ScottishPower Renewables' continued commitment to our town and want to make sure local people are first in line for these opportunities, particularly young people looking to build careers in the energy sector. It's vital that investment on this scale delivers lasting benefits for the people and businesses of Lowestoft."

R G Carter is the latest addition to ScottishPower Renewables' East Anglia supply chain, which now includes more than 100 regional and local firms, reinforcing the area's role as one of the UK's leading offshore wind hubs and helping to maximise the economic benefits of renewables for local communities.

Ross Ovens, ScottishPower Renewables' Managing Director for Offshore, said: "Lowestoft and the wider East Anglia region are the home and heart of our offshore wind operations in the UK. This incredible investment milestone – testament to the many trusted and high-quality local partners we have – confirms the region is a real powerhouse for the clean energy industry.

"We're not only operating, building and developing windfarms that will power cleaner and greener lives for millions of people for years to come, but – both directly and through our supply chain partners like R G Carter – we're creating jobs, creating opportunities and creating a vibrant economy for the region. That's the true measure of the success of our projects and the real and tangible economic legacy that will last for years to come.

"It's great to welcome R G Carter on board and I look forward to work getting underway on our new base next year and bringing that legacy to life."