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Tag: Weston Gateway Business Park

Development work begins

Jun. 06 2012 Latest News, Property no comments

Knightstone Offices ground breaking 275x300 Development work begins Work to build a brand new, state of the art head office for a leading housing provider in the area got underway last week.

Nick Horne, Chief Executive of Knightstone Housing Association, broke the ground at the site of the organisation’s head office, which once complete will accomodate around 300 staff.

The event was marked with a ceremony attended by representatives from Knighstone’s partners, Dowlas UK, Midas Construction, Hartnell Taylor Cook, EC Harris and North Somerset Council.

Nick Horne said: “The ground breaking ceremony marks the start of building work on site and the next stage in the implementation of our strategic review to refocus our operational area, reshape our services and refresh our ways of working.

“Our priority is giving our residents and customers a great service and this new office will give our staff a working environment in which they can do exactly that.”

He continued: “The Weston Gateway Business Park provides us with an excellent location and good transport links in a rapidly growing area of investment.”

The new building will be located on the Weston Gateway Business Park in Worle just off the A370 and close to junction 21 of the M5 motorway. Knightstone has been based in Worle, Weston-super-Mare, for the last 20 years.

The plans were submitted by Dowlas UK with Midas Construction now responsible for building the 40,000 sq ft, building.

John Filer, Director at Dowlas UK said: “As Developers of the new Weston Gateway Business Park, Dowlas UK Ltd are pleased to see the commencement of construction of this prestigious building for Knightstone Housing Association. The building will be in a prominent position and will be a landmark building for people passing in and out of Weston-super-Mare.”

Jane Vivian, Senior Economic Development Officer at North Somerset Council, said: ‘It is fantastic news that Knightstone has chosen to remain in North Somerset and invest in a new 40,000sq ft head quarter site. This is one of the largest office deals in the south west and also represents significant development progress within the Junction 21 Enterprise Area at Weston.”

To find out more about Knightstone Housing visit: http://www.knightstone.co.uk/; or to find out more about Weston Gateway Business Park visit: http://www.westongateway.co.uk/

 

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North Somerset Council’s economic development update

May. 06 2012 Columnists no comments

Business logo whiteback re size North Somerset Councils economic development updateIn this latest column for the Weston and North Somerset Echo, North Somerset Council’s Economic Development Team gives an update on the progress of its economic growth strategy.

To help deliver economic growth the Development Management team at North Somerset Council are putting into place new ways of working to make the planning system quicker and more efficient.

The Local Economic Development Protocol was launched in September 2011 following consultation with commercial agents and developers.The Protocol supports the timely delivery of development proposals that will have significant local economic benefits.

Examples of schemes which have already been through the Protocol process include Weston Gateway Business Park and Leisuredome.

Launch of new scheme

In addition to the Protocol, the Development Management team has recently launched a new Accredited Agent Scheme. The scheme involves agents agreeing to abide by a code of conduct.

In return, the council list the details of all accredited agents on their website, gives agents the Accredited Agent Scheme logo for use in their marketing material and provides briefing sessions to help agents to keep up to date with planning application requirements.

The aim of our Accredited Agent Scheme is to foster good working relations between the council and planning agents. The result is efficiencies for the applicants and the council by reducing delays at the registration stage and reducing the number of unsuccessful applications and appeals.

Full details of the scheme and how to become an accredited agent are available on the council’s website at http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/Environment/planning/accreditedplanningagentscheme.

Marketing initiative

The Economic Development Service (part of the Development Management team) has also developed a Marketing Initiatives List. This is being used in marketing meetings with landowners, developers of employment schemes and commercial agents to guide discussions about the proactive marketing and promotion of employment sites coming forward in the area.

For further details of the Accredited Agent Scheme please contact Jason Beale (Performance and Customer Service Manager) on 01934 426702 or by emailing Jason.beale@n-somerset.co.uk.

For further details of the Local Economic Protocol or the Marketing Initiatives List please contact Jane Vivian (Senior Economic Development Officer) on 01934 426907 or jane.vivian@n-somerset.gov.uk

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New developments could halt ‘mass exodus’ of workers leaving town

Dec. 01 2011 Latest News, Property no comments
Weston Gateway S C Gate 300x284 New developments could halt mass exodus of workers leaving town

Weston Gateway

Two new developments on the edge of Weston-super-Mare could halt the “mass exodus” of workers leaving the town on their daily commutes, say the property consultants involved with the South Gate and Central Gate developments.

Ian Wills of property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle, who are marketing the site along with Alder King, comments:

“No one could argue that Weston hasn’t been a town in decline for a number of years, decades even, with private sector employment opportunities being extremely limited leading to a daily mass exodus of workers.”

However, he believes that the granting of planning permission for the 185,000 sq ft South Gate and its sister site, the 91,000 sq ft Central Gate, both located at Weston Gateway Business Park at Junction 21 will reduce the number of out-commuters.

“These new development sites, coupled with other areas of regeneration taking place across Weston, indicate that the town has now turned an economic corner.”

Mr Wills further comments that not only are both sites located just one minute from Junction 21 of the M5, but are also only a short distance from rail and air links, providing superb connectivity for would-be occupiers.

Adding: “In addition, the site is within the proposed Enterprise Area which has significant benefits in terms of super-fast broadband provision and simplified planning protocols.”

Ben Trickey of developers Summerfield, who along with Abbey Manor Group are behind the venture adds: “The last few years have seen millions of pounds from both private and public funds pumped into Weston regeneration projects, including the new Grand Pier, seafront enhancement scheme, Dolphin Square redevelopment, Knightstone Island and the proposed £50 million leisure dome.

“We are confident we can build on and add to this momentum with these two schemes which will be of enormous interest to ambitious businesses and other organisations looking for flexible and well-connected locations. We have already had a number of enquiries and this is an exciting time as we prepare to unlock the business potential of the town.”

Although initially earmarked for offices, the sites’ developers Summerfield and Abbey Manor Group are also encouraging proposals for alternative uses including research and development, manufacturing, hotels, medical or educational.

To find our more visit: http://www.westongateway.co.uk/  or  contact Ian Wills, Jones Lang LaSalle, on 0117 930 5746 or Simon Price of Alder King, on 0117 3171084

 

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Knightstone gets approval for new HQ at Weston Gateway Business Park

Nov. 30 2011 Latest News, Property no comments
22 08 11 Knightstone Planning CGI1 Knightstone gets approval for new HQ at Weston Gateway Business Park

Knightstone Planning

Dowlas UK has been granted planning permission by North Somerset Council for a new head office for Knightstone Housing Association, one of the largest independent providers of affordable housing in the South West.

The new state-of-the-art building on the Weston Gateway Business Park in Worle just off the A370 and close to junction 21 of the M5 motorway was designed by Bristol Architects, Barton Willmore.

Providing spacious new facilities from which Knightstone can serve its 23,000 residents, it will house 230 permanent staff and have space for 40 additional mobile workers.

Dowlas are expected to appoint Midas Construction to build the 40,000 square feet of offices on three floors with Knightstone occupying two floors by April 2013.

Chief Executive of Knightstone Housing Association Nick Horne said: “We’re delighted that planning permission has been granted. This forms the next stage in the implementation of our strategic review – to refocus our operational area, reshape our services and refresh our ways of working.

“It helps in our move to focus our services in a more concentrated geographic area covering nine local authorities in the West of England and Somerset which we announced earlier in the year.

“This modern, high performance building will replace six of our existing offices and will enable us to make cost savings. These savings will then be reinvested into our homes, services and communities.

“Our priority is giving our residents and customers a great service and this new office will give our staff a working environment in which they can do exactly that.”

As well as the new office space the building will also include training facilities, meeting rooms and informal spaces. The design will maximise natural light to create a pleasant and healthy working environment.

With a 120 space car park and cycle storage the new office will be fully accessible for disabled visitors and staff.

The building will go beyond the minimum building standards and will achieve a BREEAM rating of very good. To save on energy costs, PV solar energy panels will be placed on the south facing side of the roof. Orientated on an east west axis, south facing windows will be shaded from the summer sun by Brise Soleil aluminium louvers.

Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP have been appointed as CDM coordinator and EC Harris as project monitoring surveyor.

Anyone interested in working for Knightstone should look at the recruitment website www.thewaytowork.co.uk

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