Chase Chase Chamber Patrons


Contact: Chris Plant T: 0845 603 6650


£1m funding available to support development


Business is looking up in Cannock


Businesses in Staffordshire with ambitious development plans could benefit from a new round of funding which kick-starts projects and boosts growth. The latest round of the Growing Places


Fund is making £1m available in interest- free loans to support infrastructure projects. Projects could include development of


commercial space including retail, housing or connections that will lead to more investment, regeneration and job creation. There is no upper limit for loans, which are interest free, though the minimum amount is £50,000. The Government fund is delivered by the


county council on behalf of the Stoke-on- Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Previous projects using the fund have included office developments, and advanced manufacturing facility, student accommodation and infrastructure provision for industrial development. Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for economic growth Mark Winnington said: “The Growing Places Fund has made a real difference to a range of businesses since it was launched and is now in its 12th round.” Businesses can qualify for loans if they


Droning on (from left): Councillor Gordon Alcott, Victoria Turnbull, and Pat Hanlon, access to finance director at the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership


Potential buyers will get a ‘bird’s eye view’ of a new distribution facility in Cannock, with the help of a drone. Owners of the new CONNEQT Alpha facility,


Bridges Fund Management and Opus Land, have used the technology to showcase the 153,800 sq ft unit via video to potential occupiers of the building. The facility is based on Kingswood Lakeside


Business Park, has 16 loading doors and claims to be one of the country’s most accessible distribution sites. Cannock Chase Council is one of several


partners supporting the development of the Kingswood Lakeside site, which aims to create 425 jobs when fully completed. The site was previously an open-cast mine


which opened in 1939 and closed in 1959. It has been under development since 2002. Kingswood Lakeside was the first project to


receive backing from the West Midlands Combined Authority investment fund. Two industrial units covering 14 acres and


283,000 sq ft, of which CONNEQT Alpha is the first with CONNEQT Beta to be built next, received £7m in funding from the Combined Investment Fund. Other funding, of £1.73million,


has come from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership; and from Opus Land’s joint venture partner Bridges Fund Management, a specialist investor. Victoria Turnbull, joint managing director of


Opus Land, said: “This is our fourth development on Kingswood Lakeside and the first in partnership with Bridges Fund Management. It is really important to us that these buildings are sustainable. “This is shown in the way we have designed


them, including achieving that prestigious EPC ‘A’ rating which is held by less than two per cent of buildings in the UK. We are really proud of the work we’ve done here.” Councillor Gordon Alcott, economic


development and planning portfolio leader at Cannock Chase Council said: “Kingswood Lakeside is proving to be a great success story. The site is already home to leading national companies including DHL, Unilever, Veolia, APC and HellermanTyton. “The CONNEQT buildings are clear evidence of


the increasing confidence being shown in the District, whether as a great location for companies to serve the UK or as place to find a skilled and dedicated workforce.”


are planning a scheme worth £100,000 or more. They can take advantage of an interest free loan if they can repay the money within two years of their project being completed. Beyond that period interest will be charged at the lowest commercially appropriate level.


Residents urged to vote for favourite local shop


Cannock Chase MP Amanda Milling has launched her popular annual local shop competition, in a bid to find the best independent shops, market stalls and café/restaurants in Cannock Chase. The competition, which is now in its fifth


year, is part of the MP’s campaigning on behalf of local town centre businesses. She said: “After a tough year for the High


Street which has seen some big household names close down and town centre shops charged by Cannock Chase Council for having A-boards, tables and chairs outside their businesses, I want to celebrate all that is positive about our town centres and champion local independent businesses. “The competition is now open and I am


urging the public to vote for their favourite independent shops and businesses, with several awards up for grabs.”


Anyone wanting to vote for their favourite shop, market stall or café/restaurant can do so at www.bestchasebusiness.co.uk


November 2018 CHAMBERLINK 43


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