A Borough Open for Business. Making Swale a better place

Transcription

1 A Borough Open for Business Making Swale a better place

2 Welcome to Swale We are working towards Putting Swale on the Map and we want to share with you the diverse and compelling offer we have for investors, showcase our future plans and enable local businesses to spread the word that Swale is Open for Business. Through this brochure we have highlighted some of Swale s current, key investment opportunities. There is also a glimpse into the regeneration of Sittingbourne Town Centre, with our development partners Spirit of Sittingbourne, and details about the opportunities generated by our strategic location in the Thames Gateway. A brochure such as this can of course only give an impression of Swale, so please take the opportunity to speak to our economic development team or our partners, either today or afterwards, to find out more not only about the local opportunities for investment but also the quality of life in the area. We have a nationally and internationally recognised natural environment, stunning coast lines and attractive towns and villages, making Swale a great place to live. To find out more visit our new website at I hope that you find today useful and enjoyable and if you have any questions please contact us, using the details on the back of this brochure, and we will work with you to meet your requirements Cllr Mike Cosgrove Cabinet Member for Regeneration Pete Raine Director of Regeneration Swale A Borough Open for Business

3 Location Swale is strategically located on the North Kent Coast, forming the eastern boundary of the Thames Gateway, a national priority area for growth and regeneration. It is almost equi-distant between London and the Channel Ports and Tunnel, and enjoys good road access via the A249, M2 and M20. Working with partners and the business community, we have successfully pushed for strategic improvements to local road access to the trunk road network, resulting in over 144 million of public investment. The 100 million Sheppey Crossing opened in 2006, providing a dualled second crossing of the Swale, between the mainland and the Isle of Sheppey saw the opening of both the Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road and the Rushenden Relief Road, providing vastly improved access to key existing employment sites and opening up new opportunities for both commercial and housing development. The area has also benefited from the provision of HS1 services along the North Kent line, with Faversham as the terminus station. The new service has generated small improvements in journey times to London and direct services to Ebbsfleet International, Stratford and St Pancras, in addition to Victoria. 144 million investment in new road infrastructure since 2006

4 Eurolink, Sittingbourne The Eurolink Business Park in Sittingbourne has grown to be one of Kent s largest business areas and is now home to an estimated 6,500 employees across 280 companies in over 2 million square feet of accomodation. The buildings are a mixture of light industrial, office premises and warehouses which benefit from good access to the transport network via the new Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road. Sittingbourne Train Station is within 0.8 miles distance and is two minutes by car. A new phase, Eurolink East Five, has recently been given outline planning permission with the potential to provide a further 460,000 sq ft of development and up to 1000 jobs. To find out more visit: major-sites/eurolink-business-park Eurolink East Five will add up to 463,000 sq ft of space and a further 1,000 jobs Kemsley Fields Business Park, including G-Park, Sittingbourne Kemsley Fields is positioned to the north of Sittingbourne and is in a strategic location to take full advantage of the area s good transport links, including road, rail and port. The site is already home to some of Swale s largest employers including Knauf, DS Smith and Morrisons with a 920,000 sq ft Regional Distribution Centre. There is scope for further development and at G-Park Sittingbourne there remains the ability to deliver build to suit facilities from 127,500 sq ft to 540,000 sq ft. To find out more visit: Swale A Borough Open for Business

5 Kent Science Park Kent Science Park provides 500,000 sq ft of existing space and is now home to over 60 companies, operating across a range of technologies, including the biggest cluster of life science companies in Kent. There is also 4 ha of space available for companies looking to build new, bespoke offices and laboratories. The campus is one of the largest in the South-East with almost 1,500 people employed at the site, and it is protected by an extremely high level of security. The park also provides a range of amenities and a business support service to help start-ups and established businesses flourish and grow. KSP has forged strong links with local universities and is a key partner in a number of government funded European projects. To find out more visit:

6 Swale Key facts about Swale s Economy Population 137,700 3,915 active businesses Kent s largest concentration of manufacturing, with sectors ranging from pharmaceuticals to engineering Other key business sectors include transport and distribution, port related activities; life sciences; environmental technologies. Tourism is a sector worth 214 million per annum, with 4.2 million visits to the Borough, supporting 4,000 jobs Growing cultivated fruit, since the 16th century, Swale remains the major fruit producing area in the Garden of England Swale A Borough Open for Business

7

8 Over 2.1 million sq ft of new employment floor space generated since almost twice that of any other Kent District The Eurocentre Business Park and the Foundry Business Park, Faversham Faversham has recently seen large scale investment at the Eurocentre Business Park, with 190,000 sq. ft of a mixture of light industrial and office space. Quinn Estates are also currently building in Faversham the final phase of The Foundry Business Park which has provided quality space for existing Swale businesses and those coming into the borough. The Foundry offers: A sustainable approach incorporated into the build quality, such as insulation and air tightness to provide energy savings; Located in a business environment, with organisations such as the Marks and Spencer s Distribution Centre and Shepherd Neame s European Distribution Hub nearby. Occupiers include Blue Ant, Survey Design Services and Newform Energy, one of the recipients of TIGER Funding. The development has created over 35,000 sq ft of brand new space and home to 8 businesses employing in excess of 150 people. Find out more about the Eurocentre Business Park by contacting George Wilson at george.wilson@gwholdings.co.uk Find out more about the Foundry Business Park at commercial/#units-available/foundry-business-park Swale A Borough Open for Business

9 Peel Ports Medway Peel Ports Medway is a significant employer in North Kent and is committed to working with local councils and development agencies to diversify and strengthen the regional economy. In the South East, the Port of Sheerness (part of the Medway Estate) is Peel Ports flagship terminal, handling up to 2million tonnes of cargo a year across commodities such as forest products, steel, automotive and much more. Its close proximity to London makes it the ideal port of call for the capital, helping to link European and global trade to London, the South East and the heart of the UK. Import and distribution of motor vehicles continues to be the biggest single driver of growth at Sheerness. In 2013 the port handled 14.4% of the UK s car imports by volume, due to its close proximity to population centres and car manufacturing bases in the South East, North West and Midlands. Through long-term partnerships, they have helped global distribution specialists GEFCO and leading brands such as VW Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Peugeot and Ford add value to their supply chains. Forest products have also been a key driver of growth at the port with 662,000 tonnes coming through in 2013 along with steel, of which volumes have increased by 32% in the year ending March Sheerness is an ideal example of a vibrant transportation hub, working with international and global companies, helping transform supply chains for customers as part of a unique and innovative port network. To find out more visit: Queenborough and Rushenden, Isle of Sheppey The Queenborough and Rushenden Regeneration Project aims to provide 1100 new homes alongside new employment, with up to 2 million sq ft of new floor space. The project is part of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) economic assets programme and to date has seen Investment in new road infrastructure to provide a direct link to the A249. Site preparation works for 20 ha of employment development. Approximately 20 ha of brownfield land acquired for re-development for residential. The preparation of the first phase of residential land for the market. The completion of the retail-led first phase of employment scheme at Neats Court with the opening of 55,000 sq ft Morrisons and KFC food retail unit producing around 250 jobs. Second phase of employment underway and part completed with 67,000 sq ft of new units for B&M, Iceland, Sports Direct and Poundland now completed creating around 150 jobs. The food retail element of another 8,500 sq ft is due to commence early next year. Contact Details: Neil Miller, neil.miller@hca.gsi.gov.uk

10 Starting up. The Eurolink is home to one of Kent s largest and most successful start-up facilities at St. Georges Business Park. The park offers workshop and low cost commercial units especially for startup businesses who can capitalise on the location and amenities on site. The site offers space for offices, workshops, meeting space and the opportunity for a virtual office, with on-site secretarial support. The park also benefits from a superfast fibre connection with balanced upload and download speeds. The Sears Business Centre provides facilities in Sittingbourne Town Centre for start-up businesses, with serviced desks, serviced offices, hot desks, virtual offices and meeting room hire. The centre can also offer support with business administration such as word processing, excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations and meeting organisation. Innov8 on Sheppey is a business incubator in Sheerness which alongside a fully serviced office has also developed three business development programmes for the 16-24, over 25s and small businesses. The organisation can also provide administrative and bookkeeping services to enable business owners to focus on the main purpose of their fledgling businesses. 87% of all businesses in Swale employ less than 10 people Swale A Borough Open for Business

11 Spirit of Sittingbourne In 2011, the Spirit of Sittingbourne consortium was selected by Swale Borough Council as its development partner to regenerate Sittingbourne Town Centre. The proposals, which aim to generate economic improvement and employment over the next ten years include: A new cultural quarter, with a multi-screen cinema and associated leisure facilities (cafes, bars, restaurants) Enhancements to the front of the station to improve the sight greeting visitors as they arrive in Sittingbourne New retail offer New multi-storey car parking New civic quarter with a new library, New public realm throughout the town centre Residential development Artist impression Richard Upton of Cathedral Group Plc says We are committed to bringing new life to Sittingbourne, to delivering a vibrant new town centre, and to making Sittingbourne a better place. Swale Borough Council s Cabinet recently gave approval for preparation of a planning application for the first phase of the development. This includes introducing a seven screen cinema, recreational facilities and a cultural quarter. The project team will also start working with partner agencies including the Highways Agency on road improvements. For further information visit:

12 For further information about business opportunities in Swale contact: Economic Development on Copies of this Swale Borough Council document are available on the Council website If you would like further hard copies or alternative versions (i.e. large print, audio, different language) we will do our best to accommodate your request please contact the Council at: Swale Borough Council Swale House, East Street Sittingbourne Kent, ME10 3HT Customer Service Centre Swale A Borough Open for Business