28th April 2004
£4.5 MILLION INVESTMENT TO BRING NEW JOBS TO BARNSLEY


Priority Sites, one of the most active commercial developers in the country, has started work simultaneously on two major industrial developments in Barnsley, which could result in 150 jobs.

The high quality schemes at Park Springs Business Park, formerly Grimethorpe colliery, and Wharncliffe Business Park, formerly Laithes Lane colliery, were launched on Wednesday (April 28) in the presence of VIP guests including Development Cabinet spokesperson Cllr Bill Denton and Leader of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Cllr Stephen Houghton.

Representing a total investment by Priority Sites of £4.5 million, both developments will be completed by the end of the year. They are designed to meet the needs of existing local businesses looking to move to larger, more modern premises as well as attracting investment from outside the area.

Priority Sites – the joint venture company owned by The Royal Bank of Scotland plc and national regeneration agency English Partnerships – is the first developer on site at Wharncliffe where it will create a £2.7 million scheme of eleven workshops and six industrial units, ranging from 750 sq ft to 8,000 sq ft. It will be one of the regeneration expert’s largest developments in terms of unit numbers in its seven-year history.

The £1.85 million Park Springs development will consist of two units of 10,000 sq ft (one of which can be divided into two 5,000 sq ft units) and one of 15,000 sq ft.

Paul Barber, Chief Executive of Priority Sites, said: “Although we have already created a number of very well received schemes in South Yorkshire which have resulted in about 400 jobs so far, this is an exciting project for us as it marks our first investment in Barnsley.

“We have no doubt that these latest developments will be just as successful as the others and, in line with our other schemes in the region, we expect enquiries from interested businesses well in advance of the developments’ completion.”

David Kennedy, Executive Director of Development at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, said: “These schemes are great news for local people as they form an important part of the regeneration strategy for the area. This is a further vote of confidence on the Barnsley economy.”

Both schemes are being developed in conjunction with Renaissance South Yorkshire.

Tony Kildare, Managing Director, said: “The development and success of these high-profile schemes is evidence that South Yorkshire can offer investors a quality range of sites and property, backed by the highest levels of public funding available in Europe for eligible companies.

“Redevelopment of former coalfields in our region is key to ensuring that the South Yorkshire region builds productively on its proud industrial heritage to deliver a 21st-century economy.”

Rob Pearson, Head of National Programmes at English Partnerships, which funded the remediation at the colliery sites through its National Coalfields Programme, said: “This successful working partnership will further increase the momentum for regeneration in and around Grimethorpe, and create the momentum for a multi-million pound business park at Wharncliffe. Both will attract new jobs and wealth to these areas.

“The fact that two schemes are being developed simultaneously displays strong confidence in this region as a quality business location.”

End

Editor’s Notes:

Established in 1997, Priority Sites is one of England’s most active developers with a new building contact starting on average every four weeks. Its success is due to the fact that is provides quality business premises – often on a speculative basis and outside high-profile industrial areas – that fit the needs of the companies that regional and local enterprise agencies want to attract, bringing with the, new, long-term jobs to parts of England that need them the most. For further information visit the website www.prioritysites.co.uk

Renaissance South Yorkshire is the new regeneration company conceived by Yorkshire Forward – the Regional Development Agency for Yorkshire and the Humber – and the local authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, in a groundbreaking partnership to transform the economic prospects of South Yorkshire by delivering significant and strategic development projects and investment in the region. For further information visit the website www.surprising-sy.com

English Partnerships is the Government’s national regeneration agency delivering high quality, sustainable growth in England. We do this by developing our portfolio of strategic sites and acting as the Government’s advisor on brownfield land. We also ensure that surplus public sector assets are used to support wider Government objectives, especially those contained in the Sustainable Communities Plan. English Partnerships helps create communities where people can afford to live and want to live. More information can be found at www.englishpartnerships.co.uk

The £386.5 million National Coalfields Programme is assisting coalfield communities throughout England to recover from the decline of the coal industry by creating new employment, homes, leisure facilities and open space. It works closely with Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), the Coalfields Communities Campaign, local authorities and many other groups to help rebuild fragile economies. It now covers 100 sites across some 4,000 hectares.

Barnsley Development Agency (BDA) is the one stop shop for business support in the Barnsley area. It is a partnership of key players in the economic development and regeneration of the area including Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Business Link South Yorkshire, Barnsley Voluntary Sector Forum, Barnsley Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Barnsley College and Barnsley Business and innovation Centre. Visit the website at www.barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk




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www.barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk

Press Contact: Sarah Hopwood
Marketing & Communications Assistant
Barnsley Development Agency
Telephone: 01226 640 086
Facsimile: 01226 286 606
Email: shopwood@barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk





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