Well Connected
Stafford
Well Connected Stafford Stafford Borough is perfectly placed at the centre of the UK, with excellent transport links, low cost living, and high quality accommodation.
Highly competitive property prices.
Superb education provision.
We have the work force to provide ample skilled labour, and we even have a higher employment rate than both the West Midlands and the UK. Our operating costs are an estimated 20% lower than London and the South East, with low property costs to match.
Access to excellent transport links.
Better still, we have a huge variety of business parks and industrial estates, from prestigious large-scale developments to small rural sites. Stafford Borough has seen considerable growth over recent years including the £100m Riverside retail scheme in Stafford town, huge expansion of the army barracks, and hundreds of new homes. Work is underway on a new cinema in Stafford and an 83-acre business park at Meaford in the North of the Borough. Work will get underway this year on a nearly £10 million leisure scheme in Stone as well as a £2.5 million restoration of the county town’s award winning Victoria Park. All things considered, we can offer you a high quality of life together with a first rate standard of urban or country living and an excellent working environment.
A high quality of life with a first rate standard of urban or country living.
World class leisure facilities right on your doorstep.
Come and join us.
Prime local shopping, and some of Britain’s finest countryside.
Where Everything Comes Together
At the hub of an excellent communications network.
By rail, London Euston is currently just 1 hour 20 minutes away.
25% Cost of living 25% lower than London and the South East.
50% Office rental costs over 50% lower than Manchester or Birmingham.
Its position at the UK’s heart gives Stafford Borough outstanding road and rail links to and from all parts of the country. We’re central to the UK’s motorway network, including the M54 and M42. We’re right on the M6, with two junctions: 13 and 14, and have easy access to the M6 Toll. There’s also easy access to the A50, and the A34 runs straight through the centre of Stafford Borough. HS2 will deliver a High Speed Integrated Station in Stafford, meaning journey times to London Euston will be only 53 minutes. Currently London Euston is just 1 hour 20 minutes away, Manchester is 55 minutes, and Birmingham 30 minutes on the West Coast Mainline. There are 4 major international airports within 1 hour’s drive: Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool John Lennon and East Midlands. All are easily accessed via the extensive road and rail network.
Distance to Airports
Distance to Major Cities
Birmingham
39 miles
Birmingham
27 miles
East Midlands
43 miles
Coventry
46 miles
Liverpool
66 miles
Derby
33 miles
Manchester
50 miles
Liverpool
69 miles
London
142 miles
Manchester
56 miles
Nottingham
48 miles
Stafford’s Future Stafford Gateway
53m HS2 high speed integrated station meaning Stafford will be only 53 minutes away from London
The Stafford Gateway proposes a major new Urban Development. It will provide a new business and commercial district, a new western entrance to Stafford Station, where HS2 will stop off, and residential areas set within high quality parks, streets, and squares. The new urban neighbourhoods provide a mix of apartments and family housing, and the business and commercial districts will offer 750,000 sq ft of office space, along with proposals for a hotel and multi storey car park. Transport is key to this site, with a pedestrianised and cycle friendly layout, giving improved connectivity and resilience to the area.
750,000 sq ft of office space with 6,500 new jobs
New Garden Settlement The Government’s HS2 project will provide a huge economic boost to Stafford. It has the potential to unlock 1,000 hectares of land and create a brand new settlement. Much of the land is owned by the Ministry of Defence, but being surplus to their requirements, it is to be included in the future development plans for the Borough. As well as thousands of new homes and employment opportunities, the proposals would include a medical centre, schools, and also a new railway station on the existing West Coast Main Line and a junction onto the M6 Motorway. The investment value of a project of this scale would be in the region of £2 billion.
Town Centre North Opportunities to invest in the northern part of Stafford Town Centre, with proposals to realign the current retail offers in the town.
800 homes and 6.5 hectare urban green space
New west coast mainline station and new junction for the M6
Eastgate An investment proposal incorporating a large area in the town centre which is in public ownership. The vision is for hundreds of new homes, mixed with retail, and aims to enhance a cultural section of the town close to the existing Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.
£507 million investment opportunity
Stafford Town Centre Stafford is a buzzing town centre, which has become known not just for its beautiful Market square, but increasingly for its expanding leisure offer and café culture, which attracts in excess of 6 million visitors every year. In the middle of a great communications network, Stafford can be accessed by the M6 by car, or is within walking distance of Stafford Station on the West Coast Mainline. Stafford town has seen major investments of over £100 million in recent years. There is a thriving leisure offer with the Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford cinema and the upcoming 6 screen Odeon Luxe cinema. Victoria Park is undergoing a £2.5 million restoration, with a new café and the re-introduction of the historic bandstand as a focus for outdoor entertainment in the improved park. New restaurants have opened over the last 12 months including Zizi, Nandos and Frankie & Bennys, and there are over 30 leisure establishments based in the town centre. For shoppers, the new Riverside has opened with big high street names introduced to the town including Outfit and Primark joining Marks and Spencer and Accessorize in the development overlooking the River Sow. There is a fantastic mix of national brands and individual shops in the town, with over 50% of retailers in the town being independent.
The town is also a key employer in the County. There are the HQ’s of both the County and Borough Councils in the centre of the town, providing a big market of shoppers for the businesses here. The Stafford Chamber of Commerce is in the Market Square, the FSB and Growth Hub are also represented in the town, and business support is key to keeping and developing businesses in the town centre. There is a very active Town Centre Partnership which works to bring businesses together to promote and grow the town. The Market Square offers a huge range of events, from Farmers Markets on the 2nd Saturday of every month, through to the international Ironman event which finishes in the Market Square attracting thousands of visitors to the town in June each year. There are niche events such as the new Grub Club which takes place on the second Thursday night every month, which is a fantastic evening full of street food, live music and comedy. Stafford offers a thriving town centre, beautiful historic buildings, a great selection of eateries and a variety of leisure events to keep visitors and residents entertained and enjoying our wonderful county town.
Stone Stone has seen a significant population increase of over 33% in the last 25 years, with a large amount of housing development, coupled with the expansion of quality business premises. Set between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent the market town of Stone is home to the largest business park in the Borough, hosting key employers including Jaguar Land Rover. Stone town centre offers a diverse retail offer that suits all budgets. There are a large amount of independent retailers sitting alongside some national brands in the high street, and Stone has one of the lowest retail vacancy rates in the area. Stone Traders Group works to keep the town centre vibrant, with businesses working together to promote the town and support the area. Being on the Trent and Mersey Canal, Stone has the beautiful Aston Marina within walking distance of the town, housing over 100 narrow boats, which is becoming an increasingly popular tourist and event destination. One of the main things Stone is becoming increasingly known for not only locally but regionally is the Stone Food Festival. Taking place in October each year, the event attracts thousands of visitors and showcases the wealth of local food and drink producers in the area. The town also has a Farmers Market on the first Saturday of every month, which is full to capacity and very popular for those looking for foodie treats.
New Leisure Centre Work is under way on the new leisure centre in Stone. Featuring a six lane 25 metre pool, gym facilities and fitness studios, this is the biggest investment the council had made from its own resources in the borough for decades. The leisure centre is part of a ÂŁ10 million investment in Stone, including the construction of a new Marks and Spencer food hall and new recreation facilities for the town.
Westbridge Park Westbridge Park is a large open space used for a huge variety of leisure uses. There are proposals for new play facilities in the park, to enhance and improve on what’s already there. These include toddler and junior play areas, picnic benches, wheeled sports facility and multi use games area are all ideas that could be part of the scheme, and it is a huge investment by the Borough Council into the town. Westbridge Park is also home to some great events, so the plans will ensure the important events spaces are retained. The improved play and leisure areas will bring in even more visitors to the area alongside the new Leisure Centre on the same site, creating one of the most significant leisure venues in the area.
Business Parks Stafford Borough has a huge variety of business parks and industrial estates, from prestigious large scale developments to small rural sites. There are big openings for companies across the board. If you want to be right in the middle of everything, and a stone’s throw from the M6, come and take your pick.
Staffordshire Technology Park
Stone Business Park
Attracting specialist companies in the media, IT and Medical Technology sectors amongst others. With over 450,000 sq ft of space and approx. 2,000 people employed on the park, one of the most successful business parks in the region. It is home to two of the region’s most successful managed workspaces. These house start-up companies and provide on-site support and guidance to smaller companies needing extra help.
A long established mixed use business park located directly on the A34, linking to the M6. With over 580,000 sq ft of space in 230+ units, the park houses an emerging cluster of IT and electronics companies with a host of manufacturing businesses.
Prime Point 14 and Creswell Park One of our premier Business Parks, adjacent to junction 14 of the M6 Motorway in Stafford with 55 acres of prime employment land. Current occupants include Iron Mountain, the worlds leading data storage company; Culina Logistics, providing chilled food logistics and distribution for Muller Dairy Products; Stafford Audi and Premier Inn Stafford. The Arnold Clark car dealership occupies part of the site, employing around 200 people, with expansion of the Park underway with a 66,000 sq ft and 76,000 sq ft unit being built. Creswell Park has Land Rover already on site, with 10.25 acres remaining for development.
Beacon Business Park Just 4 miles from the M6 and minutes from Stafford town centre. Extending to approx. 71 acres, and home to Wacker Newson, Classeq and Tuffnells Parcel Express, the site has opportunities for design and build.
Prologis Park Stafford A prestigious 60-acre site only 1 minute from Junction 14 of the M6, employing approximately 700 people. Home to Screwfix, who occupy over 775,000 sq ft over two units.
Redhill A major green field site of 40 acres (16.19 hectares net) situated between the M6 motorway and A34 to the north of Stafford town centre. GE has developed their Grid Automations facility with 400 jobs, and are developing an additional 180,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in the adjacent plot. Electrical energy firm OMICRON is investing £2 million in a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility.
Meaford An 85 acre site adjacent to the West Coast Main Line with direct access from the A34 dual carriageway, within 8 miles of the M6 motorway. This is a key strategic site with plans to be a major regional distribution centre for Stafford and the surrounding region. Owned by St Modwen, it has planning permission for up to 1.2m sq ft of employment usage, with the first unit now completed.
Raleigh Hall Industrial Estate A long established industrial estate housing many companies, including the logistics company Norpak and the 2.6 megawatt renewable energy plant Eccleshall Biomass, the UK’s first - estimated to generate enough electricity to power around 2,600 households.
Housing Stafford Borough can offer an enviable choice of housing. We have executive homes in our beautiful surrounding countryside and bustling market towns and picturesque villages, to Riverside apartments in our vibrant town centres. Add to that our offer of low cost starter homes and Stafford Borough has housing for every budget. Housing within the borough is being transformed by an investment programme of over £2billion, which will see in excess of 12,000 new homes built here over the next 20 years. These developments will greatly increase both the choice and range of accommodation options. Stafford has been identified as a ‘New Growth Point’. Over the next 20 years there will be an expansion of population, customer base and workforce. Across the Borough there are several development proposals with housing units planned, including the former police headquarters in Baswich where 109 houses are to be developed; Yarnfield Park in Stone is
under construction, with 194 houses being built, and to the north of Stafford town, only minutes from Junction 14 of the M6 up to 3,100 homes will be completed by 2031.
£250,368 £172,890 £164,59 £140,259 Detached Semi Terraced Flat and House Detached House Maisonette
Average cost of property in Stafford Borough (August 2018)
Stone Junction, PR and digital marketing agency had help to fund a new printer for their offices in St Mary’s Mews, Stafford.
Funding and Support Stafford Borough benefits from a large variety of finance options to support the local business community or those wanting to invest in the Borough. Grant funding is available to help businesses expand premises, purchase capital equipment, upskill employees, invest in energy efficiency initiatives, and even support to install a gigabit capable connection to provide full fibre broadband. Eligibility depends upon the type of business applying, where it is located and what the funding is for. Projects that create jobs and support business growth are always the most sought after. Each pot of money has its own eligibility criteria and as funding streams come to an end, change, or new ones are introduced, it is worth investigating the latest information.
The Small Business Grant Scheme Grants ranging from £1,500 to £10,000 up to 53% of eligible costs to help businesses with specific investments such as construction/alteration and fittings associated with premises expansion and/or the purchase of capital equipment.
CASE STUDY
Grants for Growth
The Wissage Bakehouse Ltd
Grants ranging from £10,000 to £250,000 up to 30% of project costs to help buy and/or expand premises, re-fit, buy plant, equipment and machinery. Also under this scheme businesses can apply for revenue grants to a maximum of £1,000 up to 60% towards website development and advice and consultancy.
Finding their farming business was no longer viable, Linda and Peter from Little Aston Farm near Stafford decided to set up a thriving new business making premium quality baked produce such as pork pies and meat pies.
Manufacturing for Growth Not only provides free advice and support to the manufacturing sector to help them identify opportunities and create plans to grow and improve but also up to 35% of the cost of implementing the plans through its improvement grant. ‘Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme’ provides support of up to £3,000 designed to provide ‘gigabit capable’ connectivity to give access to a faster and more reliable connection.
By receiving a £21,000 grant through the Rural Enterprise Programme (REP), they have been able to convert some of their redundant brick and tile barns into new workspace. Linda and Peter said “We found applying for this grant a straightforward process with the support of the REP Programme Team. Without the support of the grant we could not have set the business up in the time we have. We launched the business this summer and plan to expand the range on offer and take on new staff as we become more established”.
The Leisure Centre Whatever your lifestyle, leisure style and tastes, locating to Stafford Borough will provide so many opportunities to enjoy life. For thrills and excitement we’ve got Alton Towers and Drayton Manor Theme Parks only 40 minutes drive away. Around half the UK’s premiership soccer clubs are just an hour and a half up the motorway. So are the best test match grounds, while Uttoxeter Race Course, with the Midlands Grand National, is a short gallop away.
Stafford’s Norman Castle features open air Shakespeare in June and July. Sandon Hall, Shugborough and Stafford Showground all host large-scale events from pop festivals to classic cars. Stafford Gatehouse Theatre showcases popular exhibition programmes supporting local artists to shows with national stars.
Stafford is now home to the Ironman triathlon event, racing into the Market Square in June, attracting over 20,000 visitors to the town. The Cheese and Ale Festival has become a firm fixture, and the Market Square is attracting a huge variety of events drawing visitors to the town throughout the year. Stone has its own annual Food and Drink Festival every autumn, held on Westbridge Park, which has become the County’s biggest gastronomic gathering.
The National Museum of Brewing in Burton on Trent charts the history of brewing. And don’t miss the Wedgwood Visitor Centre at Barlaston, a living museum exhibiting Wedgwood from the 18th century.
Stafford is home to the Ancient High House, England’s largest timber-framed town house. At Shallowford you’ll find the 16th century half-timbered cottage once owned by Izaak Walton.
Part of Cannock Chase, once a Royal Hunting forest, is also in the Borough: an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and home to a herd of fallow deer. Then there’s impressive Trentham Gardens, a unique 750 acre visitor destination of parkland, woodland, lakes, Monkey Forest, Aerial Extreme, famous Italian Gardens and a great retail outlet.
Stafford Borough Council Economic Development Team
Stafford Borough Council’s Economic Development Team together with its partners are able to provide a bespoke service to local businesses to help them develop and grow as well as to help businesses move into the borough. To this end, support includes providing information on areas such as grant funding, sites and premises, demographics and inward investment. The team also operates a referral service on business rates, planning, licensing regulations and environmental support. Robert Gatensbury
Tara Hollingsworth
Mary Timmis
Martyne Manning
Economic Development Manager
Economic Development Officer
Economic Development Officer
Economic Development Officer
Advice and information on economic regeneration.
Information on inward investment support including sites, premises and demographics.
Advice and information on sources of funding for business expansion, and business start ups.
Advice and information on town centre business development covering Stafford and Stone.
01785 619 748
thollingsworth@ staffordbc.gov.uk
mtimmis@ staffordbc.gov.uk
mmanning@ staffordbc.gov.uk
07800 619 748
01785 619 597
01785 619 584
01785 619 470
07973 862 232
07800 619 584
07800 619 470
rgatensbury@ staffordbc.gov.uk