HEREFORD ENTERPRISE ZONE, ROTHERWAS Skylon Place: Open for business
NEWS February 2016 edition
In this Issue Page 1 - Skylon Place: Open for business - Contact the team - Congratulations
Page 2 - Welcome to Skylon Court - International Defence Landscape Opportunities Event—24 February - EZ progress
O
ur second development of business units is now available to let. Skylon Place is located on Hursey Road on the South Magazine. Block A has already been let, and two further double height studio/ workshop units of 1600 sq ft are still available.
Page 3 - Rotherwas R.O.F. Front Line Duty project
Page 4 - Development plots available - Benefits - Target sectors - ...what’s happening on Skylon Central? - Holme lacy Road Traffic Calming Measures
The development has been built by local builders Collins Design and Build. Key features of the units include low energy and running costs, flexible letting terms, high speed broadband, good car and van parking ratios and provision for cyclists. We look forward to welcoming MedDX Solutions to Skylon Place. They will be moving their current operations from Whitestone, Hereford in order to expand. MedDX produce medical sample collection kits for health screening programmes and clinical trials. To find out more about the remaining available units, contact the EZ office.
Contact the team at: Enterprise Zone Office, Rural Enterprise Centre, Vincent Carey Road, Rotherwas, Hereford HR2 6FE T: 01432 383616 M: 07792 880054
E: info@skylonpark.co.uk W: www.skylonpark.co.uk 1
C
ongratulations to our
Chairman Bill Jackson, who will be serving as the High Sherriff of Herefordshire for one year from April 2016.
Welcome to Skylon Court
W
e are very pleased to welcome several new tenants to our units in Skylon Court. We have already mentioned the University of Wolverhampton’s new Business Solutions Centre which is offering a range of business support and training activities to local businesses. Also accommodated in the Centre is the Marches Growth Hub Hereford which offers a central point of access for Herefordshire businesses looking for support. Advice and support is available face to face, through the business-friendly website www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk, or through the helpline 0345 6000 727. Businesses can access email, telephone and face to face advice and guidance sessions with business support officers. There is a wide range of help and assistance available, and the Marches Growth Hub can enable businesses to access it. Also at Skylon Court are AKE International, a global security and risk mitigation company, and Jenks Associates , a consulting engineering practice. Both companies will be expanding their operations from their new facilities. Only 2 units remain at Skylon Court. Contact Tim Reed, Turner & Co on 01432 276202 timreed@turnerandco.co.uk to find out more.
International Defence Landscape Opportunities 17:00 — 20.30 Wednesday 24 February Business Solutions Centre, Skylon Court
T
he third in a series of events organised by Hereford Enterprise Zone in partnership with QinetiQ, will take
place on Wednesday 24 February. This event aims to bring together complementary people and organisations in an environment that fosters communication, enables discussion and creates an environment where collaborations can form. Experts in the field of innovation, defence and security will be providing advice and guidance to help you achieve your growth aspirations. Agenda is as follows: 5.00 pm: Arrive and network (Refreshments) 5.30pm: Welcome by University of Wolverhampton 5.45pm: David Malleson, Canada & United States Desk Officer 6.00pm: Brian Hickey & Stephen Munford, Australian Defence Staff London 6.15pm: Tony White, Director, Ultra Electronics 6.30pm: Sally Stevenson, International Trade Advisor – Medium Sized Businesses, UKTI 6.45pm: Panel discussion 7.45pm: Networking 8.30pm: Close event Book your free place by using the link below. For more information phone 01432 383616. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-defence-landscape-and-opportunities-tickets-20752802190
EZ progress: •8 plots sold covering over 15.5 acres •2 direct development projects completed creating space to rent, covering a further 2 acres •7 new business premises built, fully occupied and operational •Construction work underway on all 3 other sites •Construction contracts for 7 of these developments awarded to local contractors •Construction investment is estimated at £10m for those sites •Some 330 people already employed in the enterprises moving onto the Zone. They are forecasting the generation of a further 250 jobs in the first 3 years of their operation on the Zone
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Rotherwas R.O.F. Front Line Duty project
T
he start of the two-year Rotherwas Royal Ordance Factory (R.O.F.) – Front Line Duty initiative was marked with a celebration event at the Herefordshire Archive & Record Office on 16 January. Rotherwas R.O.F. Front Line Duty is a joint project by Herefordshire Council, the Hereford Enterprise Zone at Skylon Park, that houses the former factory site, and the Hereford Archives and Records Centre. It will create a digital archive about the Rotherwas factory, focusing on the impact the factory complex had on Hereford and the women who worked there as well. The programme also involves working with local schools to explore and preserve its history for future generations
alongside community talks, films, exhibitions, walks and events. Heritage Lottery Funding of more than £77,000 was awarded towards the £101,000 cost. The star guest at the launch was 97-year-old Nancy Evans, who worked at the factory during World War II. She entertained the audience with fascinating tales of her time there and vividly described some of the dangers of the work. Local author and historian Bill Laws gave an illustrated talk about the site, which became one of the largest explosive filling sites in the UK, and the conditions that the workers faced. Organisers are now appealing for people to come forward and share their stories and family histories linked to the munitions factory at an open day at Herefordshire Archives and Records Centre on Saturday 13 February. Neil Kerr, vice chair of the Hereford Enterprise Zone, said: “The launch event was a great start to the project, attended by more than 50 people. “We now want to hear from as many people as possible who either worked at the factory or who have heard stories from their family members or friends about working there during WWI or II. “It is their stories that will bring this project to life and allow us to preserve their memories and stories for
generations to come.” The open day at the Herefordshire Archives and Records Centre in Fir Tree Lane, Rotherwas, will run from 10am to 4pm on 13 February. The event will include a display by the Rotherwas Munitions Group and a chance to find out more about the project. 3
Development plots available
T
he map on the right shows the land which is currently available for development. Approx. 45% is now sold or under offer (coloured red). Our land is being sold as ‘shovel ready’, so a lot of investment has been going into bringing utilities to the plots. That means that as potential investors have come forward, we have been ready and able to meet their requirements.
Companies in the Enterprise Zone benefit from: Business Rates relief, worth up to £275,000 per business over a five year period
Simplified planning process, with planning already approved for the majority of investors
Superfast broadband Local business sponsorship & increase in business profile Help with skills and recruitment
Businesses in the following sectors are eligible to take advantage of the benefits of locating on Skylon Park: • Defence & Security • Advanced Manufacturing/ Engineering • Food & Drink • Sustainable Technologies • Business Services If your business falls outside of these sectors, more information about land availability elsewhere in the county can be accessed by calling 01432 261758.
...what’s happening on Skylon Central?
Y
ou will no doubt have seen a lot of activity happening on the land opposite Rotherwas Service Station, and been wondering what’s going on. The Enterprise Zone sells land that is ‘shovel ready’ to enable investors to commence work on site as soon as the legal work has been completed. We currently have investor interest in around 6 acres of this 8 acre site. As part of the site preparation work, the existing access road is being extended to the plots and a new waste drainage network is being installed. The work should be completed within the next couple of months, and then you will see further activity as investors start work on their new facilities. In addition to several local investors, we are also working with a developer partner who will be looking to build offices and workshops to buy or let.
Holme Lacy Road Traffic Calming Measures
P
lease note that traffic calming work will be commencing on the Holme Lacy Road on 22 February and will take approximately 14 weeks. The work will be divided into four phases, the first starting at the western end near the junction with the A49. Vehicles needing to access the Estate may find it easier to use the Rotherwas Access road during this time.
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