issue 2 autumn 08
west lakes official regeneration magazine
◆ Return of the natives ◆ Energy: the future’s green ◆ The appliance of science ◆ Tourism beyond the Lakes
www.fusionwestlakes.com
The footbridge, which is based on the design of a Dutch lift bridge, replaces a walkway across the dock gates that had been closed. It gives residents a more convenient route from one side of the dock to the other. The bridge, which was funded by West Lakes Renaissance and the European Regional Development Fund has been named Ellenfoot, the original name of Maryport until it was changed in 1756.
Maryport makeover Cosmetic surgery is not just for the rich and famous. The town of Maryport too is undergoing a facelift, thanks to a new scheme encouraging local businesses to upgrade the external appearance of their buildings. The overall effect of small improvements such as new signage, repainting and repairing windows and doors on such a large scale will give Maryport a much-needed image update. It is hoped the scheme, jointly funded by Maryport Developments, Allerdale Borough Council and the North West Regional Development Agency, will boost confidence in the retail sector, and position Maryport as a high-quality tourism destination. One of the biggest projects is a new £800,000 harbour bridge across Elizabeth Dock, officially opened in July 2007.
03 Update The latest
regeneration news from West Cumbria, its towns and its communities.
10 Young people
After years of ‘brain drain’, the lifeblood of the communities is coming back, for life.
17 Energy
West Cumbria’s expertise in nuclear and renewable energy put it at the heart of the UK’s energy plans.
24 Science parks How
science parks are harnessing the technological expertise of the area, for the benefit of the wider economy.
29 Sustainable communities It’s been
update
On the waterfront The development of Barrow-inFurness’s waterfront is taking shape with the first stage of the £120 million Waterfront Business Park, to be completed
Contents
in November 2008. The other two sections of the Waterfront development are a 350-berth marina and a village with 650 homes, public spaces, athletics
track, watersports centre and children’s play area. A preferred developer is set to be announced for Marina Village by autumn 2008, and
it is anticipated that planning applications will be submitted in late 2009, or early 2010. The whole Waterfront at Barrow-in-Furness project will create up to 1,500 new jobs, and the marina in particular will create a unique sense of place, according to Dennis Laird, senior project manager, at West Lakes Renaissance. “The marina is a key part of our vision to create leisure opportunities to revitalise the redundant docks and frontage in the heart of the town. “The masterplan will deliver the biggest transformation in the town since the construction of the docks in the 1860s.” © 3Fox International Limited 2008. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or West Lakes .
the buzzphrase of the past few years, but what exactly are they? And, where?
35 Tourism The Cumbria
coast, for years overshadowed by the Lakes next door, is now a destination in its own right. Editor: Sarah Herbert sarah@3foxinternational.com Deputy editor: Kirsty MacAulay kirsty@3foxinternational. com Feature writer: Alex Aspinall alex@3foxinternational. com Art editor: Terry Hawes terry@3foxinternational.com Advertisement sales: Lee Harrison lee@3foxinternational. com Production: Rachael Schofield rachael@3foxinternational.com Office manager: Sue Mapara sue@3foxinternational.com Managing director: Toby Fox toby@3foxinternational.com On behalf of: West Lakes Renaissance, 01229 840245, www. westlakesrenaissance.co.uk and Cumbria Vision, 01768 861316, www.cumbriavision.co.uk Published by: Lower Ground Floor, 189 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TB 020 7978 6840 Subscriptions and feedback: www.fusionwestlakes.com Printed by: Tradewinds Images: Cumbria Photo – Dave Willis, Charlie Hedley, Gillespies, West Lakes Renaissance, Cumbria Vision, Sellafield, British Nuclear Group, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Newscast, E.ON UK, Corus Front cover: Four West Cumbria Lighthouses: Millom Old, Maryport, Rampside, Whitehaven West Pier
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Log on West Lakes Renaissance relaunched its website at the start of 2008. The improved www. westlakesrenaissance.co.uk offers up-to-date, detailed information on the far-reaching regeneration programmes in Furness and West Cumbria. It includes a news section, as well as areas dedicated to projects in Furness and West Cumbria, and the specialist Nuclear Opportunities team. It has been designed to be easy to navigate.
Centre stage
update News in brief Going for gold The ambitious development project for the Waterfront at Barrow-in-Furness has won the North West regional construction award for best practice in Cumbria for the second year running. The £18 million development of the Waterfront Business Park, alongside the marina and proposed village, will create much-needed employment opportunities for the region.
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Back on track The Maryport Education Settlement has re-opened its doors following an expansive £700,000 refurbishment. The facility has been upgraded to offer a modern community, arts and learning centre within the well-loved grade II listed building. The centre now offers training and activity rooms, an IT suite, office accommodation and a purpose-built arts annexe.
Working on it West Cumbria’s first business summit was held at Whitehaven Civic Hall in June 2008. The drop-in session and formal meeting – which informed local businesses about the area’s available services – was designed to raise awareness of the Whitehaven regeneration programme and create closer relations between businesses and development partners. Funding coup Whitehaven’s Haig Colliery Mining museum has been
awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost £250,000. The funding will go towards a planned revamp scheme to develop the existing pit head buildings and improve the museum to create a community resource centre. The restoration and improvement works are seen as vital to the upgrade of the coastal area around Whitehaven, and improving the appearance of facilities along the coastline for the benefit of both visitors and local residents.
The finishing touches have been made to Workington town centre with the creation of The Hub, a new outdoor performance space billed as the first permanent outdoor 3D sound performance area in the UK. The space comprises a canopy across Washington Square, suspended from the surrounding buildings at an angle, with lighting and state-of-the-art 3D sound technology. Big names Vince Clarke of Erasure and Martyn Ware of the Human League have composed a soundscape specifically for The Hub, but local performers and artists are also being encouraged to create new work to perform in the space. The installation was funded by NWDA as part of a project to improve public spaces.
The go between David Hayes has been appointed interim government relations director at West Lakes Renaissance, where he will help Cumbria Partners implement Britain’s Energy Coast™ masterplan (left). Hayes came from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Jamie Reed MP, chair of West Cumbria Partners, said: “David has wide experience of government and the private sector, and is well known in the Cumbrian community for his work in the NDA.”
Power play
From left: Jamie Reed, MP for Copeland and chair of the Cumbria Partners, John Hutton, MP for Barrow and Tony Cunningham, MP for Workington and vice chair of the Cumbria Partners.
West Cumbria could become one of the UK’s most important energy industry hubs, following the launch of the Britain’s Energy CoastTM regeneration programme. John Hutton (pictured, centre), business secretary and MP for Barrow, told delegates at the launch on 23 July that the area – which is home to 36% of the UK’s civil nuclear industry and is soon to host two of its largest wind farms – has a ‘key role’ in helping the UK to tackle climate change and secure future energy supplies. The masterplan is a £2 billion package of regeneration projects that build on the area’s expertise in nuclear energy to diversify into other technologies, such as tidal, off-shore wind, and microgeneration. It could create 16,000 jobs and boost Cumbria’s GVA by £800 million. Projects include: n National Nuclear Laboratory n A new £100 million research hospital, specialising in toxicology and radiation n £80 million Housing Market Renewal n Road and rail improvements. The masterplan builds on government plans for at least 10 nuclear reactors starting operations around 2020, and its invitation in June to local authorities to host radioactive waste from the country’s halfcentury of nuclear power. n For more on West Cumbria’s energy ambitions, see page 17. issue two
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Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Limited
Building the Future From humble beginnings as a joiner, cabinet maker and wheelwright based in Cockermouth, Cumbria, Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Limited has grown into a major contractor for the construction of building and civil engineering projects in the north of England and Scotland. Our expertise includes Design and Build, PFI and Partnering. With the main administrative operations centered around the Group Headquarters in West Cumbria, our fully staffed and serviced Regional Offices can offer flexibility in completing projects throughout the North East and North West of England, and Central and Southern Scotland, over a range of expertise and requirements. Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd enthusiastically works in collaboration with local authorities, social landlords and local educators to deliver training and regeneration programmes to provide realistic, sustainable training and employment initiatives throughout the county. We have worked on a number of regeneration projects throughout Cumbria, such as Workington Town Centre regeneration, numerous tourist attractions throughout the area, assistance of the creative community, affordable/eco housing projects throughout the county, and we are currently working on the construction of a Nuclear Academy in West Cumbria and the regeneration of Penrith Town Centre. Workington Town Centre We have established a number of partnerships with housing associations locally to assist with improvements to social accommodation throughout West Cumbria and improve the community environment. We endeavour to use local companies for our supplies as we feel it is important to assist the local economy. As environmental issues are very important, we work hard to reduce our carbon footprint by using eco friendly products such as sustainable timber, energy saving electrical installations, grey water systems and recycled stone. Tel No: 01900 68211 Fax No: 01900 602672 Website: www.thomasarmstrong.co.uk
Education, education, education
update Working together
The University of Cumbria, which opened in August 2007, is already planning an expansion to include a new campus in Barrowin-Furness. The amalgamation of St Martin’s College, Cumbria Institute of the Arts, and the Cumbrian campuses of the University of Central Lancashire were brought together last year as the University of Cumbria in an attempt to stop the region’s ‘brain drain’. After such a successful first year the university is looking to develop new campuses as part of a £160 million estate strategy. The proposals include a new facility, in partnership with Furness College, to provide computing, social work and social care as well as the existing nursing facilities. The proposed new building will enable the development of a distributed learning strategy through new IT suites and stateof-the-art video conferencing facilities, enabling students to access services remotely.
West Cumbria is also set to benefit from the new further and higher education college Energus (formerly known as the Nuclear Academy), under construction. The £20 million centre will provide training and business support in the field of nuclear, carbon-free and environmental industries. The centre will support the Britain’s Energy Coast™ initiative, creating the necessary skills and business support for companies starting out in the industry. Located on the business park at Lillyhall the world-class centre will be the delivery arm for the National Skills Academy for Nuclear and the University of Cumbria’s energy coast campus. The building will offer 5,500sq m across two floors, with engineering and construction workshops, training and meeting rooms and a lecture theatre. It will open in early 2009. n For more on Energus, see page 17.
Future perfect A holistic economic plan has been published by Cumbria Vision. The action plan for the economic regeneration of the county builds on its unique identity to create a strong, sustainable and prosperous economy. The September 2007 document identifies the challenges facing the region, such as dependency on declining sectors, low skill levels, retention of young people, lack of affordable housing and infrastructure/ connectivity problems.
The key themes of the plan are business, education and infrastructure. It recognises that a shift is needed from small-scale fragmented interventions to more strategic projects, such as Britain’s Energy Coast™, the University of Cumbria and the renaissance of Carlisle. The ultimate aim of the Cumbria Economic Plan is for the county to be as attractive to business and investors as it is to the millions of visitors who flock here each year.
Fusion magazine is supported by
The regeneration of Cumbria is at the heart of what both Cumbria Vision and West Lakes Renaissance do. So it is no surprise that the two organisations have a strong working relationship. WLR has been delivering regeneration since it was set up in 2003, while Cumbria Vision is leading on economic development across the county. Over the past 18 months the two have worked closely together to ensure projects have the maximum impact. The joint working crosses a number of issues and provides the strong message that Cumbria is working together. Bob Watson, chairman of WLR, comments: “WLR feeds into Cumbria Vision’s strategy and then the strategy team at Cumbria Vision identifies gaps for WLR to fill. “This approach is hugely beneficial and we know it is working. We are all moving forward with a common purpose, we all share the vision of a better and more prosperous future.”
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Three go wild in Cumbria
Three West Cumbria wildlife sites are set to benefit from a study by consultant White Young Green into their future, which will include looking at how to increase their tourist numbers. The study, for West Lakes Renaissance and the Land Restoration Trust, looked at options for Hodbarrow, Millom Ironworks and Haverigg Dunes. The sites, parts of which are of national significance, are home
to many species such as rare natterjack toads and regionally scarce plants such as dark red helleborine. Hodbarrow reserve incorporates the largest coastal open water body in the North West. It incorporates an artificial island, playing host to bird populations which, without proper management, could be under threat. Since its closure in 1968, the former ironworks site on
the edge of Millom has been allowed to evolve and now forms an open area popular with local visitors. Undertaking the study, WYG consulted management groups and businesses, analysed visitor numbers and surveyed the sites. Options for the future included improving Haverigg’s café, shop and information provision, and the footpaths and cycle tracks at Hodbarrow and Millom.
What’s on Furness and West Cumbria residents and visitors can get busy at a wide range of events and festivals during 2008/09. West Lakes Renaissance has
update
invested over £100,000 in events as diverse as the Festival of Fools at Muncaster Castle, a film industry insiders’ talent festival, the British Kite Surfing Championships, Furness Festival of Culture and the Maryport Youth Festival. Funding for training will ensure the events are successful and selfsustainable. The new programme will celebrate local communities and raise the profile of the area, creating opportunities for residents to develop skills and job prospects and attracting visitors to the area.
Green for go A new report, ‘The Economic Implications of Climate Change Legislation for Cumbria’, suggests that the region could benefit from new government legislation to the tune of 1,500 new jobs, and enjoy a muchneeded boost to the local economy. The report – commissioned by Cumbria Vision in association with Cumbria County Council and the Cumbria Strategic Partnership 0
climate change task force – is an assessment of the economic opportunities and problems posed by incoming European and UK climate change legislation. The document says that the new jobs could be created by branching out into different forms of renewable energy production, in particular biomass and tidal/wave and by encouraging microgeneration among local businesses.
It also suggested that local businesses should ensure they stay competitive in the green market and offered the possibility of establishing Cumbria as a green tourism destination, capitalising on the current enthusiasm for taking environmentally friendly holidays. The importance of the construction industry in spreading the energy efficiency message was also mentioned in light of the 25,000 new homes
which are scheduled to be built in Cumbria over the next 13 years. The local reward for reacting positively to the legislation, according to Simon Sjenitzer, strategy director at Cumbria Vision, would be through higher paid jobs, more investment and improvements in skill levels, while nationally it would enable Cumbria to play an important role in energy security and combating climate change
– issues that are particularly relevant today. Sjenitzer adds: “These are issues close to everybody’s heart as we have a responsibility to future generations to start acting now. We cannot afford to be left behind. Cumbria needs to respond positively to climate change legislation so that we can diversify the economy and establish the county as a centre for energy generation and innovation.” ❍
9 September 2008 Hotel Russell, London W1 9am - 4.30pm The first ever London Major Projects Forum takes place this September. Benefit from your peers’ experience developing major regeneration and infrastructure projects, by discovering how the lessons learned can be applied in your area. The forum – developed by and for local authority project managers – will cover everything from effective lobbying and project management through to major programme funding and sustainable development. Topics will include: ● How to work with London’s new mayor, the LDA’s new London board and the HACA’s new London regional director ● Updates from Crossrail, the East London Line and engaging with TfL ● The Commons Select Committee Inquiry into the planning skills shortage ● A better consultation process in London - how to avoid costly delays ● New-style PPP funding and assetbacked vehicles ● Economic regeneration via high-rise and high density development - London’s ‘Tall Buildings Initiative’
Keynote speakers include: ● Sir Simon Milton, deputy mayor for planning and policy, Greater London Authority ● Clinton Leeks, OBE, corporate affairs director, Cross London Rail Links ● Stephen Benton, director, World City, London Councils ● Jonathan Joseph, development director, BrentCrossCricklewood Partnership ● Liz Peace, chief executive, British Property Federation ● Stuart Yeatman, project director, John Laing Projects and Development ● Ian Fry, programme director, Kings Cross Central, Network Rail ● Tony Middleton, director of regeneration and infrastructure, London Borough of Croydon
All project management and development professionals welcome. The main focus will be on London boroughs, but other UK local authorities are most welcome to join in the discussions and benefit from any of the sessions. To register visit www.londonmajorprojects.co.uk/register OR contact delegate manager kirsten@3foxinternational.com or call 0207 978 6840 ASAP.
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young people
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Some economic problems are
more easily fixed than others, but all of them need people to make them happen. But what if those very people you need simply aren’t available? One of the major problems to face West Cumbria in recent years has been the declining population of younger people. Firstly, there was little to tempt them to move into the area, and, secondly, those born there, especially graduates, were simply moving away to the brighter lights and higher wage packets of nearby cities like Manchester. “When we first came here in 2003 it was a very serious issue,” explains Michael Baker, regeneration director for Furness and West Cumbria at West Lakes Renaissance. “The results from the last two censuses showed that outmigration in the 18-30 age group was double the national average. We were losing people hand over fist, especially the ones we needed as the workers and businessmen of the future. The young simply didn’t see any future opportunities in the area – they were hugely pessimistic. And who could blame them? They’d witnessed huge redundancies. Most students who completed their A-levels left for university in one of the big towns and didn’t feel any inclination to return.” This is borne out by Kimberley Elliot, a 20-year-old from Whitehaven. “Lots of people I know have left the area and never come back,” she says. “There weren’t enough jobs. And any jobs there were, were all in the same area. There was no variety: you worked for Sellafield or the council. The wages were poor compared to other areas. If you went to uni in Middlesbrough, Liverpool or Manchester you didn’t come back.”
The strange thing is: no one actually wants to leave the area, they just feel – or used to feel – that they had to. “Whitehaven’s a nice place to live,” says Elliot. “There’s nothing to stop people living here except a lack of jobs.” But this is changing. “I have an older sister and none of her friends who went away to do courses came back at all,” says Elliot. “My friends, however, have and most of them are planning to stay round here.” The haemorrhaging of under-30s, the young and the talented, from West Cumbria is indeed abating. Since West Lakes Renaissance was set up in 2003, the negative trend seems to have ceased and for the first time since 1994, when the population of 15-to-29-year-olds was 46,000, data shows that young people are returning to and remaining in the area: after the nadir of 37,500 in 2003, it is now back up around the 40,000 mark. Much of this can be attributed to the specific creation of the sort of jobs more likely to attract young people. Shoreline Films, for example, supported by West Lakes Renaissance, has not only won acclaim for its own developed work, such as the topical Death in the Bay: the Cocklepickers Story, but also offers professional training and facilities to the community, delivering courses ranging from scriptwriting, camera, direction and Avid editing workshops, to mentored placements on professional drama and documentary crews. The key, however, seems to be in taking a holistic approach: by creating the sort of place where people want to live, the area is hoping to convince people that it’s also where they
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West Cumbria’s young people have, until recently, been leaving in droves for the bright lights and higher wages of the big cities. Now, as Jonathan Morrison discovers, better job and education prospects mean they’re staying put, or even being drawn there for the first time.
Prodigal returns
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young people
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West Cumbria has plenty to attract, and retain, young people: improved career prospects, festivals, watersports and the promise of a trendy new waterside development.
should be working (and vice-versa). This is being achieved through a variety of schemes – cultural, sporting and even architectural. In Furness, for example, the Waterfront Barrow-in Furness masterplan will create a buzzing and exciting waterfront economy that will not only attract visitors and financial investment, but create the sort of modern docklands experience – bars, shops and trendy, but affordable, apartments – that young people crave. At the same time, Barrow is rapidly becoming a centre of excellence for watersports. In the past few years it has hosted stages of the World Speedboat, World Jet Ski Championships and the British Kite Surfing Championships. This sporting offering is matched by festivals with a broader appeal: in 2008 the area has seen the Furness Fest, the Whitehaven Music Festival, Paint the Town Red, in Workington, Maryport Youth Festival, Festival of Fools at Muncaster Castle, and the Furness Festival of Culture. Such festivals and events are widely recognised by experts as contributing significantly to the cultural, social and economic wealth of an area. It doesn’t stop with festivals: there’s a substantial permanent cultural scene. Art Gene provides a place for contemporary artists to produce and exhibit their work and is backed by the European Regional Development Fund, Barracudas provides its own carnival troupe consisting of more than 100 performers and practical workshops covering music, dance, circus skills and costume making, and the Ashton Group, a professional theatre company, specialises in working with youngsters to translate their experiences of day-to-day life in and around Barrow into exciting, entertaining and thought-provoking theatre. Baker explains: “We do need to make sure the quality of life here outside of work is attractive. If it’s not, then businesses won’t come here. These sorts of projects make the area a better place to live.” One of the key attractions for young people is actually a legacy of the years of stagnation, migration and decline: opportunities in the housing market. Nationally it’s increasingly difficult to get on the housing ladder, and virtually impossible in urban centres, despite recent wobbles, yet in West Cumbria the average price is about £70,000 to £80,000 for a twobedroom, quality-built Victorian house. Baker adds: “BAe, for example, recruits its people at the milkround quite often, and to start off with, they’re pretty unsure about Barrow. Yet
they love it when they get here. The quality of life is actually very good – we’re 20 minutes from the Lake District, for example, and it’s absolutely fantastic for watersports. However, we realise we’re bad in terms of the evening economy – there’s a monoculture based round low-grade nightclubs which are simply nowhere near as good as those people experienced as students in Manchester or Liverpool. We’re aware of this and we’ll try to change things with our designs for the waterfront in Barrow especially.” Graduates are remarkably mercenary, however, and thoroughly ambitious: although BAe pays its engineering recruits a good wage by any standards, it only recruits around 40 leavers a year for the yard. Other opportunities can be found in specialist maritime engineering companies, which have organically grown up around the shipyard. Diamould – acquired by an international oil exploration company last year – provides deep-sea couplings for oil pipes. 3SL, a computing company, makes modelling software for confined environments and does a lucrative business with NASA, among others. It’s pretty specialist, and unlikely to attract anything other than the most specialist engineering graduates into the area. Perhaps aware of this, the team at West Lakes Renaissance are determined to get their young people involved early on. The most remarkable manifestation of this philosophy is the Youth Re:Action Team, launched in February 2006, to give secondary school children their say in the area’s regeneration and encourage interest in the changes to their town. Jac Scott, creative director of the team, says: “The Youth Re:Action Team are making
“ There’s more
access to skills now than ever before. I’m glad I’m staying in Whitehaven, and not being forced to leave ”
a difference in Barrow, as school pupils actually feel that they now have a voice in the regeneration plans. Many of them care about the future of Barrow and want to be involved in the processes that shape the town. Engaging young people in schools and colleges about what is going on and listening to their opinions about it gives them a stake in the future.” Jill Graham is typical of the young talent that has returned to the area. The former Keswick School student left sixth form in 1996 and decided to continue studying at the University of Lancaster, where she started a three-year BSc in geography. “I was there for a few years but I really missed Cumbrian life, and noticed there were some great opportunities for young people available in West Cumbria. The housing is much more affordable and the general quality of life far better.” But, she says, the real sea-change has been in the educational opportunities that have been made available in the area over the past few years. Nowadays, the not so academic can learn a trade at Barrow’s new Multi Skills Centre – and end up working on the Marina Village development in the future – while Energus, formerly the National Nuclear Academy, will give locals world-beating skills and enable them to prosper from the UK’s £80 billion decommissioning programme and a global decommissioning market, worth around £300 billion. The University of Cumbria has also had a big impact, enabling locals to take full degrees through the further education college without having to relocate. Elliot agrees that the education opportunities have radically increased. “There’s more access to skills now than ever before,” she says. “I’m currently doing a diploma in management. Then I’ll go on to do a degree with the University of Cumbria, yet staying in Whitehaven. I’m glad I’m not being forced to leave.” Chief executive of West Lakes Renaissance, Bob Pointing, sums it all up. “Five years ago, before we were set up, many young people in the area thought Furness and West Cumbria had no future, and voted with their feet,” he says. “Now, more and more are realising they can build a future here, and we are better at keeping them. “The University of Cumbria has helped, but all the colleges have improved what they have to offer, and there are better prospects of getting a job after education and training. I expect this trend to get even stronger.” ❍ issue two
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REAL CAPABILITY, REAL INTEGRATION, REAL ADVANTAGE
BAE Systems harnesses experience and expertise for civil nuclear sector BAE Systems is harnessing its experience and expertise constructing and commissioning the nuclear power plants for submarines to enhance the UK’s civil nuclear capabilities. A global company engaged in the development, delivery and support of advanced engineering systems, BAE Systems is the largest engineering employer in the UK, and constructs and commissions nuclear powered submarines at its facilities in Barrowin-Furness. BAE Systems has already secured a detailed business agreement to work closely with AMEC on civil nuclear business opportunities. Nuclear powered submarines are amongst the world’s most complex and challenging engineering projects and the nuclear power plants for the new Astute class submarines are integrated, tested and commissioned within the nuclear licensed site in South Cumbria. As nuclear site licensee, the company manages the arrangements for license condition compliance, including documentation of the safety case for activities on the site. General Manager Nuclear and Export Business for BAE Systems at Barrow, Peter Newman sees huge potential in the company’s experience being deployed in future nuclear projects. He explains: “BAE Systems is at the forefront of development of modular construction techniques. Modules weighing more than 1,700 tonnes are designed, constructed, tested and integrated within
www.baesystems.com
the Barrow facility. Direct access to a non-tidal basin enables very large items to be transferred by sea from the facility, allowing delivery of pre-commissioned modules to construction sites around the UK coast and further afield.”
Capabilities BAE Systems has the capability to deliver complex engineering projects from concept through commissioning to in-service support, and engineering resources are focused on solutions which deliver functionality against demanding specifications. Manufacturing and assembly experience is directed towards optimisation of construction strategy. The strong emphasis on modular construction, delivers real advantage through optimisation of construction sequence and a high degree of finishing and functional testing of individual modules. Modular construction techniques offer real advantages in quality by maximising the extent of construction and testing carried out in a controlled, factory environment; Optimising construction sequence and reducing rework keeps the cost base competitive, while reducing construction duration and derisking the final integration and commissioning process underpins the delivery schedule.
Northumbria University
Plan Design Enable
Grays Marina, Essex
Atkins offers a tailored range of multi-discipline consultancy services for the built and natural environment. Our local team based at Westlakes Science and Technology Park places us within easy reach to deliver our world-class service to clients in Cumbria. Backed by many years of experience, we offer expertise in a wide range of sectors including (but not limited to):
Urban Regeneration / Heritage / Education / Healthcare / Energy / Highways and Transportation / Ports and Harbours / Climate Change •
As part of the largest design and engineering consultancy in the UK, our company’s size allows us to harness expertise from
an unrivalled pool of creative, professional people
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Atkins has a proven sustainable and innovative approach to design. We can demonstrate numerous successful regeneration projects and award winning landmark designs
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Atkins’ experience in heritage, arts and cultural sectors helps us deliver sympathetic solutions to revitalise urban areas and communities affected by strategic changes within the economy
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Atkins has established relationships with all tiers of local and central government, partnerships and consortiums, development agencies and transport authorities
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We provide successful, integrated solutions that bring tangible benefits to local communities and the region as a whole
For further details please contact: Alan Siddle Group Manager, Atkins Ltd Wastwater Pavilion Westlakes Science & Technology Park Moor Row, Cumbria, CA24 3JZ Tel: 01946 692345 or 01946 514285 Email: alan.siddle@atkinsglobal.com Visit: www.atkinsglobal.com
Newport City Footbridge
energy
West Cumbria is the UK’s energy powerhouse. Alex Aspinall explains how the area’s hard-won expertise will be key to driving both the regeneration of the region and, as the oil runs dry, the UK’s future low-carbon energy supply.
The powers that be
W
e all know now that to create a sustainable future, we have to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy. West Cumbria – at the forefront of energy innovation and skills – is poised to lead the country into that sustainable future. Huge levels of investment are set to ensure the region is able to lead the low-carbon charge. And it is expected that these developments will play a significant role in the next wave of the area’s regeneration. While West Cumbria’s employment in high-value sectors such as finance and banking is lower than the national average, it instead boasts an incredible concentration of highly skilled civil nuclear workers. The region is awash with the knowledge and facilities required to shoulder the burden of Britain’s energy crisis. It all centres around the Sellafield site, which employs around 10,000 people, and is one
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The feed pond at the Thorp reprocessing plant, just one of the facilities on the Sellafield site.
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energy
“ We have to look at how we use our
nuclear expertise and engineering skills to develop new ideas, and we can populate the energy coast with energy efficiency technologies �
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of the two largest non-governmental employers in West Cumbria. The many facilities on the site include the Thorp nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, the Magnox nuclear fuel reprocessing plant and the remains of Calder Hall Magnox nuclear power station, the world’s first commercial nuclear power station, now being decommissioned. West Cumbria is establishing a reputation as the UK’s centre of excellence for nuclear decommissioning. The UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority headquarters is based at Westlakes Science and Technology Park. Established in 2005, this government organisation manages the £2 billion-a-year clean-up of the country’s ageing nuclear facilities. Currently the largest public sector project in the UK, some estimates put the programme of work at Sellafield to be 100-plus years. But it’s not just decommissioning: the business secretary (and MP for Barrow), John Hutton, announced in March that the current UK nuclear programme will be “extended beyond replacing existing nuclear sites to ensure nuclear power plays a more significant role in meeting the nation’s energy needs”. West Cumbria looks like being a vital contributor to the nation’s sustainable future. Rosie Mathisen, nuclear opportunities director at West Lakes Renaissance, says: “Compared to four years ago, when it was doom and gloom and decommissioning and closure, we have been turned around by the nuclear renaissance – the realisation by the government that we have to keep the lights on and it has to be done under our own steam.”
Left: The Askam wind farm in Cumbria, is one of a growing number of wind farms in the UK. Above: The storage pond at the Magnox fuel reprocessing plant. Above right: Decommissioning training will prove invaluable in the region’s future economy.
West Cumbria’s history, and a large proportion of its economy, is closely associated with the nuclear sector, having provided the backdrop for the Sellafield site, which is home to 36% of the country’s civil nuclear industry, for the past 60 years. As well as the business carried out at the site itself, there are also many companies operating in the nuclear supply chain. Mathisen sees the region’s previous experience as being one of its major strengths. “The expertise and skills are here to take it forward, especially as decommissioning and reprocessing contracts come to an end,” she says. “There is the availability of a very skilled workforce.” Building on the area’s association with the nuclear sector is enshrined in the Britain’s Energy Coast™ masterplan, which sets out how the area can strengthen its expertise in renewable energy and the nuclear sector to diversify the local economy and improve the prospects of local
communities. A package of projects – ranging from establishing pioneering centres for nuclear skills and enterprise support for businesses to transport improvements – totals £2 billion public and private sector investment over the next 20 years, with potential to create 16,000 jobs, and boosting Cumbria’s GVA by £800 million. This multi-faceted approach maximises what is already in the area, as well as encouraging further investment in the guise of new build developments. So, for example, the Cumbrian coast is soon to host the two largest wind farms in the country which, it’s hoped, can benefit from energy-related skills from the nuclear sector. Mathisen says: “We have to look at how we use our engineering skills to develop new ideas, and populate the energy coast with energy efficiency technologies. If, in 10 or 20 years we could say Sellafield has twin reactors and a hydrogen plant that would be great.” Successful implementation of the masterplan
will transform the region by 2027 into a globally recognised nuclear and energy technology centre, with a highly skilled, successful community able to secure further investment and attract companies and individuals from around the world. This is already happening to a certain extent, with several US companies being drawn to the area’s expertise as they seek partners to fulfil their decommissioning responsibilities. Washington Group International, the US leader in nuclear decommissioning and world leader in nuclear safety, in partnership with Amec and Areva, a member of the Nuclear Management Partners, has been unveiled as the preferred bidder for the operation of Sellafield. The company also donates money to local community events, takes part in business initiatives such as the West Cumbria Business Cluster, and Whitehaven Maritime Festival Company, and contributed an initial £20,000 to the building of Energus
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energy
Above and right: Energus nuclear academy, to complete in early 2009. Middle right: remote technology at Sellafield.
at Lillyhall. Other examples include Energy Solutions and E2 Inc, two all-round nuclear disposal, safety and decommissioning engineering firms. Another key facet of the masterplan already in progress is ensuring the next generation has the neccesary skills to continue the high standards of work with which the area has become synonymous, ensuring regeneration is sustainable in the long term. This places huge importance on education and training. Enter Energus. Originally known as the Nuclear Academy, Energus is to be a world-class centre for industry-related skills. Both further and higher education are vital to creating future generations of energy professionals and attracting talented young people to the area. The development – which sees the European Regional Development Fund, Learning and Skills Council, North West Regional Development Agency, Northern Way, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Sites and West Lakes Renaissance working together – is being built on a 7.3ha site at Lillyhall, with completion expected in early 2009. Dr Ian Hudson, chair of Energus and head 20
of engineering and technology at the NDA, sees the development as integral to the region’s regeneration. “Education and training are essential,” he says. “There are a number of issues facing the industry. We are competing with other industries – like construction and project management – for the same skills, while trying to improve the facilities. World-class people and facilities improves the quality of the industry. You get better operators and better designers trying to seize the growth potential.”
Energus “ The building and
the university will act as a magnet for other organisations ”
The educational role of Energus will be enhanced by its close working relationship with the University of Cumbria, whose move into West Cumbria is another element of the region’s regeneration masterplan. The university’s new arm – the Britain’s Energy Coast™ campus – will be based in the Energus development and students, as well as residents in the area, are set to benefit from their close relationship. Chris Carr, vice chancellor of the university, sees a bright future. “The ability to join up with other people, whether it is Energus or Lakes College, means we will create more opportunities for the people that live in this part of the world,” he says. “Both the Energus building and the university will act as magnets for other organisations. Regeneration is not just about nuclear power. It is about a whole range of issues to do with providing an economic, cultural and social infrastructure to raise horizons.” Clustering such organisations and businesses in one site encourages regeneration of the area, with incoming organisations, especially SMEs, sparking infrastructural improvements. As West Cumbria’s regeneration plan is tied
Far left: Remote technology in action. Left: Excellor 6 Flask and, above, the shear pack at the Thorp reprocessing plant.
up with government policy and the future of the nation’s energy consumption, a strong working relationship with central government is going to be vital during the delivery of the masterplan. Central to this is the presence of Hutton as one of the area’s MPs, who as well as being the relevant secretary of state is also chair of West Cumbria Strategic Forum, which annually gathers representatives from a variety of government departments together to examine the region’s development, and every three months gets Whitehall civil servants together with local partners. This unique model is something the government is keen to encourage in other areas of the country. So how realistic is the energy masterplan? By concentrating on attributes already present in the area, are the optimistic predictions for the area’s growth achievable? One of its best assets is that all parties are pulling in the same direction. Hudson agrees. “The good thing with the energy coast masterplan is that it has allowed us to focus on what we all need to do. Historically, Cumbria has been diverse in what it has tried to do but we now have something we can all stand behind." ❍ issue two
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science parks
24
In these post-industrial times, science parks offer individual companies places to grow and develop, and the local economy a new foundation. Julie Mackintosh examines their role in West Lakes.
Science and technology – a driver for UK regeneration
The new industrial revolution
A
lthough the Sellafield nuclear plant is preparing for decommissioning, the nuclear industry in West Cumbria won’t end with the fuel reprocessing. Far from it. Instead, the area’s expertise is being honed for the next phase of industrial evolution – an £80 billion nationwide decommissioning programme that’s set to last decades. As home to the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency (NDA) and world leading companies in the field, Westlakes Science and Technology Park is at the heart of this lucrative new niche. “Alongside high-quality accommodation and business support, we also offer an established knowledge cluster, unique networking opportunities and access to strategic partnerships,” explains Tim Hirst, chief executive of Westlakes Properties, owner of the park. Proving that success does indeed attract success, the list of residents at the park reads like a who’s who of the nuclear industry. They
include CH2M Hill, Serco and Fluor – three of the companies shortlisted for the 17-year ‘Sellafield Parent Body Organisation’ contract to own all shares in Sellafield. “We moved to West Lakes three years ago,” says Jerry Schneider of Fluor. “The location, close to Sellafield, and the office space on offer were key factors in our decision, but we were also attracted by the fact that there were many other companies in the same sector here. “It’s about perception and being part of that knowledge community and it’s also about practicality. We like to do business face to face and meetings with other companies are often just a trip downstairs rather than a long car journey. Working in close proximity also increases the scope for partnerships.” The knowledge cluster taking shape at Westlakes is already the UK’s expertise centre for all things nuclear, but these expertise can be exported. Demand for decommissioning skills is growing, with nearly 90 reactors worldwide due to be dismantled over the next decade. And there’s also the possibility of a whole new generation of nuclear facilities.
Far left: Herdus House the NDA’s headquarters. Top left: Ingwell Hall is the estate’s original manor house. Bottom left: Fleswick Court was opened by Tony Blair in 2002.
West Cumbria isn’t the only place looking to promote economic development through science and technology. Around the country, regenerators are hoping to carve niches for themselves and capitalise on high-value jobs and expanding sectors. So, what are some of the others up to? Well, in Newcastle the 8ha former Scottish and Newcastle brewery site is set to become a hub for science-based businesses focusing on nanotechnology, stem cell research, bioscience and molecular engineering. “The overriding objective is to create an environment where science and business can work together in a group of facilities designed to rival anywhere in the world,” says Sarah Stewart, director of Newcastle Science City. Further south, Nottingham has similar ambitions. The city, by its own admission, has adopted a broad definition of the term identifying health and life sciences, micro and nanotechnology, digital and creative industries, environment, advanced engineering and product design as priority sectors. “These employment areas offer wellpaid, high-value jobs,” says Simon Green, director of economic development at Nottingham City Council. “They are also very effective at attracting and creating other businesses – a kind of virtuous circle.” West Cumbria’s expertise in the nuclear sector is unrivalled anywhere else in the UK and that type of USP could prove invaluable to the region’s regeneration.
• issue two
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science parks
Right: The Ramsden Business Park, which is currently under construction, is part of the Waterfront in Barrow-inFurness masterplan and will expand the area’s business park facilities enormously.
“ The nuclear industry has been, and will remain, hugely influencial to the local economy. We have to ensure that its benefits extend as widely as possible ”
26
The Westlakes Science and Technology Park certainly has the available capacity to embrace any expansion. It is now home to 70 organisations employing 1,250 people. Hirst says that with 50% of land yet to be developed, around 2,000 people will be working there in the “not too distant future”. But that’s not all – the park recently struck a deal with Copeland Borough Council to earmark adjacent land to provide further expansion, if needed. Not all companies on the park are concerned with decommissioning. It is also home to the University of Central Lancashire’s Westlakes Research Institute, which studies the health and environmental aspects of the nuclear industry. Its most recent publication examines the link between workers in the nuclear industry and cancer. Dr Steve Bradley is the principal. “[We are] an educational charity with a mission to stimulate knowledge-based businesses and to
Westlakes Science and Technology Park thereby assist economic regeneration in our region,” he says. “We research the impact of economic, social and environmental pressures on the health of communities, past and present, and advise on strategies for the remediation of industrial sites into the future.” In regeneration terms, this is all very good news indeed. Science and technology ventures tend to yield high-value jobs, a fact that Michael Baker, West Lakes Renaissance (WLR) regeneration director for Furness and West Cumbria, is well aware of. “We are creating a whole range of commercial and industrial properties across West Cumbria [Lillyhall and Bridgend are two such examples] to suit all businesses,” he says. “But Westlakes really is top of the range attracting high quality companies and creating employment.” “The nuclear industry has been, and will remain, hugely influential to the local economy. We have to ensure that its benefits extend as widely as possible and, of course, providing people with the right skills base will be hugely important.” To this end, WLR is helping to fund the £19 million Energus (previously the Nuclear Academy) at the Lillyhall Industrial Estate near Workington (see p17), as a centre for nuclear skills development and also as a flagship of excellence in skills and innovation. Back at Westlakes, there are also plans for a Nuclear Institute, which will be jointly sponsored by Manchester University and the NDA, to provide yet another top notch research base for the area. So with its regenerative benefits there for all to see, is science and technology really the 21st century replacement for heavy industry? “Coal mining and shipbuilding are gone, but the nuclear industry is only part of the 21st century answer. It is, however, an important part,” says Baker. Or, as Hirst puts it: “The decline in manufacturing means we have to apply our brainpower to generate other sources of revenue for UK Plc.” ❍
Above: The Galemire facility at Westlakes Science and Technology Park. The park’s buildings are set in 52 hectares of landscaped grounds created to emulate the original parklands setting.
A brief history Westlakes Science and Technology Park was established in the late 1980s by the West Cumbria Partnership. Today, extending across 52 hectares, it is the eighth largest in the UK. Seventy organisations are now based there, employing 1,250 people across 11 buildings. These numbers are all set to rise in the coming years. Work on the last phase of development was completed in 2005 and included a one mile ring road. This created seven more serviced sites suitable for development. See below for information on the next phase of expansion. What’s available? A new 2,300sq m (25,000sq ft) office building, Coniston House, is planned for construction in 2008/2009. Contact: Chris Pearson at Gavin Black & Partners on 0191 230 2777 A range of office units from 17sq m (185sq ft) to 210sq m (2,200sq ft) are available at the Ingwell Hall Bassenthwaite and Buttermere Pavilions at £11.50/sq ft. Contact: Diane Wilson-Long on 01946 595200 A new 650sq m (7,000sq ft) building on Plot 2B, due for construction in 2008. Contact: Jonathan Hindley at PrimeFigure Limited on 01477 537 007
available, sizes range from 3,400sq m to 16,600sq m. All have outline planning permission for B1 offices and laboratories or B1/B2 manufacturing. Contact: Tim Hirst on 01946 595 290 Public sector support may be available for development projects, particularly speculative schemes. Contact: Noel Butters on 01900 811 967 funders of Developments on the park West Cumbria Development Fund North West Regional Development Agency English Partnerships Rural Development Commission European Regional Development Fund West Lakes Renaissance
Development opportunities Fully serviced plots of land totalling over 50,000sq m are immediately
issue two
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sustainable communities
One regeneration must-have is ‘sustainable communities’. But just what does the phrase mean in practice? And how are they being created in West Cumbria? Jon Neale finds out.
Working it out
Initiatives helping new businesses, community groups and employment opportunities are essential in creating sustainable communities.
T
he concept of sustainable communities has been at the heart of the government’s regeneration plans ever since 2003, when the £38 billion eponymous plan was launched by the then deputy prime minister, John Prescott, to support economic, social and environmental development throughout England. Now, the phrase ‘sustainable communities’ is used extensively in almost every domestic policy area, but what exactly does it mean? According to the Department of Communities and Local Government – the ODPM’s successor,
now tasked with regeneration – “sustainable communities are places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. They meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents, are sensitive to their environment and contribute to a high quality of life. “They are safe and inclusive, well planned, built and run, and offer equality of opportunities and good services for all.” Practically, this means that to achieve this, communities have got to offer decent homes at prices people can afford, good public transport, schools, hospitals, shops and a clean, safe environment – as well as a public space for relaxation, interaction and leisure.
So, how can this all be achieved? According to the DCLG, those tasked with regenerating older settlements – or building new ones – need to “balance and integrate the social, economic and environmental components of their community, meet the needs of existing and future generations, and respect the needs of other communities in the wider region or internationally”. It seems that, to be sustainable, as well as being well-designed and built, connected to transport links, served by hospitals and schools, and economically successful, offering jobs and training to their inhabitants, communities also need to be “active, inclusive and safe”,
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sustainable communities
Above: The West Coast Community Fitness centre in Whitehaven is just one of many funded by West Cumbria Social Enterprise Hub.
30
Improving the built environment and creating quality open spaces are important issues for sustainable communities.
“ If we create
opportunities and the infrastructure, new businesses materialise and take up residence ”
providing a welcoming environment and sense of identity and belonging to its inhabitants. Local leadership – which people participate in and engage with – is vital as well. All very admirable, but surely difficult to achieve in an area such as West Cumbria, which has its share of economic and social problems, and is still recovering from restructuring in the steel and shipbuilding industry, in which so many local people were employed. Its housing stock, in common with many other parts of Northern England, is not in step with the aspirations of many families. Meanwhile, many young people are leaving, pursuing what they perceive to be better opportunities elsewhere in the UK. Furthermore, the area also suffers from remoteness. Hemmed in by the fells of the Lake District, it is poorly served by road and rail infrastructure. Nevertheless, West Lakes Renaissance (WLR), the URC for the area, has a comprehensive programme of projects aimed at making sustainable communities a reality in Whitehaven, Workington, Barrow-in-Furness and the surrounding towns and villages. Nik Hardy is the economic inclusion manager for WLR, and his main task is to get unemployed or underemployed local people to participate in the area’s economy, boosting both their
own prospects and the prosperity of the area. Tackling local worklessness is top of the URC’s agenda for creating sustainable communities, and it will work in tandem with diversifying the local economy away from dependence on the nuclear industries. He explains: “The programmes we operate are local projects meeting local needs. Through the local people undertaking them, we are trying to return wealth to the communities. We are encouraging new trades within the communities through local enterprise.” He manages some of the European regeneration funds available in the area, trying to assist people back into employment while stimulating business foundation and growth. Central to this is the West Cumbria Social Enterprise Hub, a two-year project aimed at guiding new organisations, with the ultimate aim of helping businesses become selfsustaining. The URC has provided £450,000 to the Hub, with the rest of its £1 million package provided by the European Regional Development Fund and Cumbria County Council. Set up in 2005, and managed by Cooperative Mutual Solutions, it provides feasibility planning, capital and revenue grants, as well as assistance on business planning, board development and networking. One area that ticks many of the boxes for creating sustainable communities is social enterprise which, as well as involving local people and creating a sense of belonging, recycles all profits into the project or the local community generally. Hardy believes the best example of this is a community gym, West Coast Community Fitness, set up in Whitehaven’s deprived Mirehouse estate, thanks to a £20,000 grant from the Hub and a further £30,000 of funding from the URC itself. Founded by local resident Martin McMullan it contains a boxing ring and bags, as well as all the usual gym equipment, a community room and kitchen for local use. Another is Interchoc, which distributes chocolate bars, novelties and sweets in the area. A cooperative company, it received a grant of £30,000 from the Hub. Meanwhile, the URC’s enterprise development workers project helps encourage self-employment – a rather more direct approach to job creation. Another major part of Hardy’s work is the retail upskilling programme. “Workington has had a huge town centre redevelopment, offering new retail opportunities for local people,”
he explains. “Our Roots 2 Work programme helps the long-term unemployed access those opportunities. Around 250 people have already benefited, of which 95 have now found work.” The URC also runs a community response fund, which provides up to £5,000 for retraining costs for those made redundant in the area, and the Local Labour in Construction programme, launched in February this year, which aims to tackle the shortage of skilled construction workers in West Cumbria. Of course, sustainable communities need more than just employment opportunities – they also need a good physical environment. Much of the housing in West Cumbria was built for a different era. One initiative to bring the area up to date is a string of projects over the next year to rejuvenate three former coal mining areas of Workington. New affordable homes for local people will be built on the Westfield Estate, and existing homes improved, while the poor-quality shopping centre at Moorclose will be revitalised, providing better access for residents and making it generally more appealing. Finally, the former community centre at Northside, which has fallen into disrepair, will be demolished and replaced with a brand new facility. Further work is under way in Barrow, in the south of the URC’s area, and rather separate from the towns on the west coast. Michael Baker is head of regeneration for the area, where the built environment needs improving. The town’s housing stock is homogenous, mostly comprising small two-bedroom terraced homes. Part of Baker’s task is to provide more family homes, attracting a wider demographic into Barrow, and making it the kind of mixed community that is ultimately more sustainable. He says: “The overall programme aspires to achieve sustainable communities, from the very top to the very bottom – whether we are developing a new residential community, new employment opportunities or new social and leisure opportunities. “The biggest thing about sustainable communities is providing somewhere to work. We find if we create the opportunities and infrastructure, then businesses materialise, and take up residence. Without those facilities, it doesn’t seem to happen.” To this end, the URC is providing around 7,000sq m of new business space at the Waterfront Business Park. Another stimulus for employment generation will be the £4 billion contract for part of the new Royal carrier fleet – the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales aircraft carriers, due to enter service from 2014. Suppliers for this
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sustainable communities
Above: The Oval Centre in Workington, which provides office and community space. Above, top right: Ewanrigg Community Centre in Maryport. Above right: Fitness classes are at the heart of many community initiatives.
32
vast project will, Baker hopes, take spaces at the new development, although he is adamant that there is a need to move away from over reliance on the shipbuilding industry. A wider problem for the town, like much of the surrounding area, is the exodus of its young people, particularly those who have been through higher education. Between 1991 and 2001 there was a 35% drop in the number of people in the town aged between 18 and 35. And, as Baker says: “If we don’t have people to employ, we won’t see businesses coming in.” Its young people retention strategy, Talented Minds, will be relaunched later this year, featuring a range of initiatives to persuade people to stay in Barrow. At one extreme, the Youth Re:action team presents to schoolchildren convincing them of the reasons to stay in the town. At the other, there is Furness Young Professionals network – a graduate group, set up initially by BAe. (For more on retaining young people, see p10-13). “It is really about creating a social network”,
Baker says. “It can be quite lonely in this town if you are a graduate.” While part of his task is selling the reality, another part involves improving it. There is a major plan in place to improve Barrow town centre, raising the retail offer and providing a more diverse evening economy – all of which will presumably help attract a wider mix of people into the town.
“ Sustainable
communities are places where people want to live and work ”
Of course, West Cumbria’s challenges have much in common with other industrial areas. Housing Market Renewal programmes, in particular, are ongoing throughout the north, and youth retention is a problem that dogs many other parts of the UK. However, the biggest parallel is perhaps with the Pool Camborne Redruth regeneration programme, way down in Cornwall. Both counties are perhaps most recognised as tourist and second home destinations, but this veneer hides housing affordability problems, worklessness and, in the industrial areas, poverty and poor accommodation. Nevertheless, unlike Cornwall, West Cumbria has strong industries in the form of BAe and its many nuclear companies, which provide the bulwark of the local economy. The real challenge is to stimulate the smaller-sized enterprises in which local unemployed people can get involved, providing that sense of community and inclusion that is at the heart of the sustainable communities agenda. ❍
The Urban Regeneration Company for Furness and West Cumbria
• Investing £200 million in Furness and West Cumbria over the next 10 years to stimulate economic growth and create 5000 jobs • Co-ordinating regeneration activity across an 80 mile long area in order to attract private sector investment • Creating a sustainable economy based on new skills and business growth • Leading the delivery of The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness Masterplan and working with partners to deliver the Britain's Energy CoastTM Masterplan.
For more information on the many exciting developments that are taking place in Furness and West Cumbria visit the West Lakes Renaissance website
www.westlakesrenaissance.co.uk or contact Luke Dicicco on 07799 035 390
Connecting communities by rail in West Cumbria
The Cumbrian Coast Line - Barrow-in-Furness to Carlisle via Whitehaven. The Cumbrian Coast Line links a large number of the communities supported by West Lakes Renaissance. The railway makes an important contribution to the local economy as it gets people to work in places like Barrow, Carlisle, Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington. It brings thousands of tourists into the area each year. This is no ordinary local line, it combines stunning coastal scenery with magnificent views of the Lake District mountains. Stations are every bit as important as trains, and many stations in West Cumbria look a treat, thanks to the efforts of local volunteers. We want to encourage more station friends groups. Some of our smaller stations like Drigg, Green Road and Bootle, community involvement has made a real difference. Cumbria County Council and ourselves formed the Cumbrian Coast Community Rail Partnership just over a year ago. Its purpose is to drive forward a range of improvements and link the railway with a variety of local initiatives. We offer something very distinctive – a real sense of being a friendly, community-focused operation which people enjoy using and enjoy working for. We are putting more and more investment into customer service, building on the positive feedback we’ve already had from customers. ss
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TOURISM
Close to the edge
There’s more to Cumbria tourism than the Lake District. Now, at last, the West Cumbrian coast – which anywhere else would be a magnet for visitors – is getting the attention it deserves, says Alex Aspinall. •
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tourism
T
he region’s coastal towns have not always been associated with tourism. Blackpool or Brighton they are not. But, the loss of around 11,000 jobs in the scaling down of the shipyards in the 1990s meant new methods of bringing money, jobs and investment into the area needed to be found. While the answer, encouraging the tourist dollar, is one of the best avenues of economic diversification, the success that has followed was not easily achieved. Two major barriers impeded progress: image and access. The towns in the area have traditionally been associated with industry, while their brilliant natural and built sites of interest remained a well-kept secret. When the area started marketing itself as a tourist destination, eyebrows were raised. Angela Knowles, project manager at the Lake District Peninsulas Tourism Partnership faced the challenge of overturning preconceptions about the area. “Once people come here they think it is wonderful and they come back, but there has always been an issue with image,” she says. “It is getting chipped away at and it is improving. West Lakes Renaissance, the borough council and other partners, have done a huge amount to dispel the poor image. “There is still a slight snigger if Barrow-inFurness is mentioned – people think it is just an old industrial town. Its foundations were built on industry, and that is still important to the local economy, but there is a lot more to Barrow. “Image is still one of the big things we have to wrestle with. It cannot be changed over night but things have improved immeasurably.”
So how was it done? By spreading the word, through a concerted effort to highlight what the area has to offer. Regeneration funding has helped create promotional materials and visitor guides, while the region’s tourist boards have subsidised advertising opportunities for hotels and local attractions. Commerce has also been promoted through programmes aimed at encouraging tourism-related start-up businesses. The increasing offer – including such attractions as the Dock Museum and South Lakes Wild Animal Park – has forced people to rethink their negative stereotypes. But the barrier of access is likely to prove much harder to overcome. West Cumbria is not one of Britain’s most easily reached destinations, and being a 45-minute drive from the nearest motorway means the costal towns don’t exactly benefit from passing trade. This is a problem that no amount of marketing can overcome. And, short of building a new motorway and swallowing the associated costs and challenges, it is not a problem that is likely to disappear. It is anticipated that the proposed upgrades to Carlisle Airport may partially help but the Cumbrian coast’s distance from major cities will still mean few day-trippers are drawn to the region. So what can be done? This is a problem Ann Taylforth, Barrow town centre and festival manager, has wrestled with. “We are targeting the areas that are accessible to us,” she says. “We do a lot of marketing through the largest group travel show in the north west, the Great Days Out Fair. We have been there for the past 10 years and it is very nice when people come over and say they have been to Barrow and that they are going to go back.
“ Once people come here they think
it is wonderful and they come back, but there has always been an issue with image. It is getting chipped away at and is improving ”
36
Festivals have played a large part in West Cumbria’s bid to attract visitors. Alongside the Festival of the Sea there is the Whitehaven Martime Festival, Barrow’s Festival of Culture, and power boat racing.
Go west Overshadowed by the wonders of the Lake District, the west coast of Cumbria is a destination in its own right, with beautiful coastal scenery, picturesque towns – such as the Georgian gem of Whitehaven – and intriguing local maritime history. There is also a burgeoning range of attractions to tempt tourists beyond the Lakes, such as: n Regular power boat racing at Barrowin-Furness, plus its Festival of the Sea which has featured all manner of craft, from tall ships to a peek inside BAe’s submarine shed n The impressive Dock Museum in Barrow, housed in one of the town’s historic docks n The Festival of Culture this year in Barrow, with music from all over the world. And, further up the coast: n The Coast-to-Coast cycling route, starting at Whitehaven n The Beacon museum in Whitehaven, displaying the intriguing history of the area n Whitehaven International Festival, with highlights this year ranging from tall ship visits to a set by Status Quo n Exotic animals from far-flung places roaming the South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton-in-Furness.
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tourism
“ There are lots of reasons to be
cheerful. There has been an awful lot of work put in and we’re reaping the rewards ”
Barrow Marina “You have to be out and about. We also do trade fairs at Blackpool, which is a very lucrative area, and promote ourselves in the Lancashire guide as well as the Cumbria guide. Cumbria Tourism looks to promote across the country and we put most of our efforts into areas within three hours’ drive.” One area that falls well within that threehour radius is the Lake District National Park, which of course has no difficulties attracting tourists all year round and represents a marketing opportunity for Cumbria’s west coast. Encouraging the tourists flocking to the Lake District to explore the area to the west is a key strategy in increasing tourist numbers. Knowles says: “We see the Lake District as a positive because it is the big brand and it does bring people in. It has been our job over the years to encourage people to explore further afield – not to just stick with Hawkshead or Windermere, but to spread their wings a bit and see different areas of Cumbria.” To highlight the Lake District’s proximity to the coast, West Cumbria marketing materials feature references to the Lake District and area maps include Windermere. And again, slowly but surely, progress is being made. Visitor numbers and the range of local attractions have grown in recent years and, despite the uncertain financial times we are operating within, optimism is justified. 38
Making the most of its waterfront is vital for West Cumbria tourism. Above left: The Whitehaven Maritime Festival.
Above: The Beacon museum and gallery in Whitehaven showcases the varied history of the region.
Attractions such as Barrow’s hugely popular annual Festival of the Sea, the burgeoning cultural offering in the region and the news that the new marina (see panel, right) in Barrow is on its way mean that it is not just the beautiful landscape attracting people to the coast. Interested parties, from hoteliers and the management of local attractions to the local coffee shops and tourist organisations, are working together to ensure Cumbria’s coast lives up to its potential. “There are lots of reasons to be cheerful,” says Knowles. “There has been an awful lot of work put in and heavy support from the public sector to make these things happen. And we are now reaping the rewards in that we have got this greatly improved image and visitor numbers are rising year-on-year.” ❍
Maximising an area’s existing assets is central to all successful regeneration projects. And this philosophy is evident in the creation of Barrow’s new marina, where the seafront is to be given centrestage, as this once thriving area of the town will reclaim its place as a hive of activity. Making the most of the space left by the old rail sidings, the marina will comprise leisure facilities, a 350-berth marina, a water sports centre, an iconic bridge linking to the Ramsden Business Park and, the jewel in Barrow’s crown, Marina Village, a waterfront housing development which will bring 650 new homes to the area. The developer chosen to realise Barrow’s ambitious vision for the future will have its work cut out, as the marina project is set to be the largest single redevelopment scheme since the town was transformed from a small farming community into a world-leader in steel-making and shipbuilding over a century ago. As well as creating a new identity for the waterfront, solving a genuine housing need and offering residents of the town new and interesting leisure opportunities, the marina development will also improve Barrow’s tourism offer. The project will take around 15 years to deliver but will put Barrow’s waterfront back on the map. Ann Taylforth, Barrow Borough Council’s tourism officer, says: “The marina development is going to be incredibly helpful with attracting tourism. It will vastly change Barrow. The sea is very much part of our life around here. The marina is highly appropriate and everyone is very excited about it.”
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