02-02-2010 | Station Business Gateway on track
An expansion to Leicester's Business Quarter that could create more than 2,000 jobs has moved a major step closer, after partnership plans were announced for a new development alongside Leicester Station.
The development that would be built on land around the rail station car park is expected to attract commercial and public sector employers, providing an estimated 2,400 new jobs over the next eight years.
The plans will see new offices, a hotel and a new attractive gateway to the city centre from the rail station. The city council and East Midlands Development Agency (emda) have identified the project as being of regional importance, and emda's offer of a grant of £9.2 million represents one of the largest investments ever made by the Agency.
Diana Gilhespy, emda's Executive Director of Regeneration, said: "Leicester Business Gateway is a landmark project that will develop the second phase of a high quality business district in a key area of the city. It will play a critical role in rebuilding Leicester's economy as we move out of the recession, which is why we are making this substantial investment.
"Without public sector involvement, this scheme would not have got off the ground because it would not have been financially viable for the private sector to relocate existing occupiers and assemble the site. Leicester Business Gateway is a superb example of the economic impact that can be gained when organisations such as emda and Leicester City Council work together to bring real benefits to people living and working in the City and the wider East Midlands."
The move brings closer to reality the ambition of all the agencies involved to create more high quality office space next to the railway station, and its fast connections to London and the rest of the East Midlands.
It is planned that the development of 30,000 sq m Grade A office quarter, a multi-level car park, a quality hotel and a new station concourse and entrance gateway will proceed when partnership agreements have been completed with Network Rail and businesses relocated. Leicester City Council will also be enhancing the approaches to the station with improvements to Granby Street and the creation of a pedestrian and cycle friendly crossing to replace the existing underpass.
Cllr Ross Willmott, Leader of Leicester City Council said ""I am very pleased with this major development, which will transform another part of Leicester into a vibrant business area. These plans will also complement the project which creates a new gateway into the city by replacing the Granby Street underpass. The overall result will be a major new thriving area of Leicester of which we can be proud. Even in a recession Leicester is still moving."
Discussions are already ongoing with Network Rail, the owner of the station and surface car park land who will be negotiating with East Midlands Trains, the operator of services from the station.
Nick Carter of Prospect Leicestershire, who are facilitating the project with the partner organisations, said: "The future expansion of Leicester's business quarter is vital to provide space to attract high quality jobs into the City Centre. This deal has been brokered thanks to a successful partnership working together to achieve a common goal. It is a big step in the transformation of a really important part of the city."
Ends
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Notes to Editors
Prospect Leicestershire is the new economic development company charged with delivering physical regeneration and growth, business innovation and support and inward investment across Leicester and Leicestershire.
The economic alliance forged between Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council has created a unique opportunity for the new company to offer an exciting ‘no boundaries' proposition to potential investors, developers and companies looking to relocate.
For the first time, there is now one organisation that can make doing business with the city and county much easier. The unique combination of regeneration, development, relocation and investment experts, working together under the same leadership, makes the city and county an even better prospect.
The company will build on the successful regeneration work already started in Leicester, seek to extend it to areas around the city and work with organisations across the county to create new jobs, improve skills and promote business and housing growth.
Prospect Leicestershire will be based in 2 Colton Square, flagship of Leicester's new Office Quarter.
The company was created out of the shared ambition by Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council to drive the sustainable economic development and prosperity of the city and the county. A multi-area agreement (MAA) was prepared by the two authorities with support from the district councils and signed in January 2009 at a ground-breaking ceremony with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing St.
Prospect Leicestershire will be working in the following areas:
Regeneration - delivering priority physical regeneration, renewal, environmental and infrastructure projects within Leicester and selected areas of Leicestershire. The staffing compliment of the Leicester Regeneration Company forms the core of this team.
Inward investment - promoting both county and city as targets for mobile inward investment opportunities and enquiry handling. Staff from Leicester Shire Promotions Limited have transferred to be involved in this part of the company bringing regeneration and investment promotion under the same roof for the first time.
Business growth and innovation - ensuring continuity and integrity of business support provision across the county and city, joining up delivery of skills and learning activities at all levels, promoting enterprise development and innovation and improving the supply of serviced workspace and incubation facilities. The team will identify and commission new projects, procure resources and manage project delivery.
Our team
The company is led by chairman Nick Carter, formerly editor of the Leicester Mercury and a consultant in communication and cohesion, and chief executive David Hughes, who has more than 20 years experience in regeneration and development at national and East Midlands regional level.
Board members
Chairman Nick Carter
Councillor Patrick Kitterick, Leicester City Council
Alistair Reid - Strategic Director, Regeneration, Culture and Development, Leicester City Council
Councillor Nick Rushton - deputy leader, Leicestershire County Council
John Sinnott, chief executive, Leicestershire County Council
Sue Smith, chief executive, Harborough District Council
Ian Borley - senior partner, KPMG Leicester
Penny Coates - managing director, East Midlands Airport
David Seviour - Principal Consultant, DAS Housing and Regeneration Agency
Sanjay Mehta - MD Essar Global Ltd
Andrew Bacon - Regional Director, BT East Midlands
Sue Farmer - Bea Consulting
About emda
East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England, set up in 1999 to bring a regional focus to economic development.
Ten years on, independent evaluation shows emda has:
· Had a significant impact on the region's economy
· Generated economic benefits that substantially outweigh its overall costs
· Put back over £9 of economic output (or GVA) into the regional economy for every £1 it spends
· Produced more than £1 billion in economic benefits per year
· A wider impact on people, places and businesses in the East Midlands that cannot be captured by figures alone.
emda is committed to supporting the region through the current downturn and has put in place a range of measures to provide real help during these challenging times.
Over the long term, emda's aim is to deliver the 2006 Regional Economic Strategy (RES) by working in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations. The RES highlights the themes of productivity, sustainability and equality and sets out key priorities until 2020 to ensure the vision for 'a flourishing region' can be achieved.
For more details visit www.emda.org.uk
