15th May 2002
BRIGHTER FUTURE SIGNPOSTED FOR GRIMETHORPE

The regeneration of Grimethorpe continues at a pace, with the marketing of the new Park Springs strategic employment site now moving into top gear. The latest marketing development is the arrival of two new Park Springs branded billboards, that send out a strong, clear message to any passers-by that things are really starting to happen on the site.

Park Springs is supported with funding from Yorkshire Forward, English Partnerships, European Regional Development Fund (Objective One Programme), Single Regeneration Budget, and private sector investment from UK Coal and Barnsley Miller Partnership. All of these organisations are represented on the new billboards, presenting a powerful, unified partnership approach to potential investors. The signs are placed in key locations on the Park Springs link road, and mark the start of the next phase of development of the employment site.

John Penney, chief executive of Barnsley Development Agency, commented: "We're moving into what is undoubtedly the most exciting period of Grimethorpe's recent history. Park Springs is within an Economic Zone designated under South Yorkshire's Objective One Programme, enabling up to 35% of eligible costs to be recovered by investors. Many new jobs will be created on the site over the coming years, making a real and tangible contribution to the economic and social regeneration of the area."

Barnsley Development Agency brings together the partnership-based resources to effectively tackle the broad range of economic development and regeneration tasks required to significantly transform the Barnsley economy and the prospects of Barnsley’s citizens over a ten year period. GRE and BDA are working closely together to secure a more positive future for Grimethorpe, with a genuine partnership approach and commitment to a vision of change.

Shaun Higginbottom of GRE and BDA, said: "The recent arrival of new billboards is significant because they signal the start of real development on the site after years of hard work by all the partner organisations involved. Marketing of the site is very important, and we're working very hard to ensure that potential investors that could bring jobs to Park Springs know what we have to offer. The next stage of our marketing will be the launch of our new website, enabling 24-hour access to information on park Springs and Grimethorpe to potential investors all over the world. Nearly 90 new jobs are set to be created in the area when construction of four advanced factory units is completed by Yorkshire Forward this summer, and that is just the start of what we hope could be a massive job creation programme over the next 5-10 years."

Infrastructure work on the Park Springs site was completed early this year, allowing work to begin on this first phase of development.

For more information on Park Springs or GRE, contact Shaun Higginbottom at Grimethorpe Regeneration Executive, The Acorn Centre, 51 High Street, Grimethorpe, Barnsley S72 7BB. Tel 01226 716700, Fax 01226 716499.
E-mail: enquiries@gre.park-springs.com or
shigginbottom@barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk

If you require any further information please email us.

Barnsley Development Agency
Beevor Court, Pontefract Road, Barnsley S71 1HG
Telephone: +44 (0)1226 784444

© 2002