Less than three weeks after it received the planning green light for the £120m upgrade of Worcester Technology Park, Stoford has been appointed lead developer for a £70m regeneration project near Redditch.
Working in partnership with landowners, The Gorcott Trust, and the Homes and Community Agency, the Birmingham-based company will now work up a masterplan for the 70-acre Redditch Gateway site. A planning application is expected to be submitted in September.
If the industrial, warehousing and office scheme is approved infrastructure work could start by next summer with the first phase of development ready for occupation by early 2017. It’s claimed the completed regeneration project will create as many as 1,500 jobs.
Stoford’s joint managing director, Dan Gallagher, said the three-way partnership marked a significant step forward in the development of the Redditch Gateway site, east of the Worcestershire town and close to Ravensbank Business Park.
Identified by Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership as one four “gamechanger” sites that could transform the region’s economic future, Gallagher said: “This is a very exciting scheme because it is one of the key employment sites that will make a substantial contribution to Worcestershire’s future economic prosperity.
“Such is the interest in Redditch Gateway that we are already talking to potential occupiers who are keen to take advantage of the site, which is close to both the M40 and M42 motorways and will provide high quality accommodation,” he added.
Earlier this month Stoford heard that Wychavon District Council had granted planning permission consent for the £120m expansion of Worcester 6 — formerly known as Worcester Technology Park — close to Junction 6 of the M5 motorway.
Another of the county’s “gamechanger” sites, Stoford — appointed lead development partner by landowner The Spetchley Estate — submitted a reserved matters planning application late last year for an office building and a Section 73 application to remove and vary a number of planning conditions attached to previous outline permissions.
Confirming that Worcester 6 could provide up to 1.5-million sq ft of high quality business units and office space Stoford director, Gerard Ludlow, said: “We are looking forward to making good progress with this important project and are confident that the development, which is in a strategically very strong location, will attract prestige occupiers who will bring jobs and investment into the area.”
Gary Woodman is executive director of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership. “The Worcestershire Strategic Economic Plan puts this key employment site at the top of our priorities for economic growth and job creation,” he explained.
“This 90-acre site is the best development site between Birmingham and Bristol with first class access and connectivity to the rest of UK.
“Worcestershire is a world class place for business and, now that planning consent has been granted, the creation of high quality employment opportunities can continue at pace,” added Woodman, who said this summer’s initial groundwork would be funded through the Government’s Growth Deal.
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