It was great to see so many members at Harrison Clark Rickerbys on 31st July at this update, hosted by Steven Murray, HCR Dispute Resolution Partner and your Chamber President.
Gareth Edmundson, CEO of Cheltenham Borough Council opened with some background and the key aims of this £1billion project.
More than just a business park with more jobs in tech, it is designed to b a high-quality, sustainable community to complement the town centre. It will provide opportunities for training, apprenticeships and employment across the spectrum – especially for the many young people living locally to the development. 1000 homes as well as community, event, retail and hospitality spaces are planned.
It will also be a centre for academic research working with the University of Gloucestershire and other Universities and Colleges, both near and far.
Developers HBD are highly experienced at working with local authorities on successful major developments. Development manager, Matt Belshaw described the vision.
A natural development from GCHQ and the town’s growing reputation for innovation, Golden Valley was originally seen as a key centre for cyber security. The vision has developed to becoming a “technology cluster taking on the UK’s mission critical challenges.” These include energy security, food and bio security, infrastructure security, AI security and so on. As AI makes the development of technologies faster and cheaper, the need to keep these systems secure grows.
The project will take 10-15 years to complete but work on the initial building– the Cyber Innovation Centre – is due to start next year, with doors opening potentially by the end of 2026.
Social value is key both to HBD and the Borough Council, with both parties implementing strong policies. Huge attention will be paid to landscaping, sustainability and wellbeing. The buildings will be among the highest rated for energy efficiency. The aim is a community feel, not just a place for the working week while engagement with local schools and colleges will be a major priority.
The subsequent buildings and surroundings will offer anyone from one person start-ups to large established enterprises, great places in which to research, collaborate, develop and enjoy life.
The Opportunities
As the development moves to the “procurement phase,” the Chamber aims to ensure local business benefit and that the Together Gloucestershire project means that local firms will be prioritised in supply chain decisions. Businesses subsequently moving into Golden Valley will be keen to understand local suppliers, and organisations such as the Chamber will be consulted to ensure the local economy benefits hugely.
Other opportunities might include additional outlets for local shops, restaurants and cafes.
Questions from Members focused on transport and marketing the development to the local community.
The transport limitations are acknowledged. , and lot of discussion has already taken place with local providers. However, a lot of the detail is yet to be worked out.
It is accepted that many local residents still know little, if anything, about the project but as it moves towards planning approval, more local publicity will follow.
HBD and Marketing Partners, Plexal will be present in the new Minster Exchange as an initial “shop front” for this transformative development.
If you want to ask any questions, or contacts any of the parties mentioned further, get in touch with us at info@cheltenhamchanmber.org.uk
