Chase Cannock Chase
Chamber of Commerce
Contact: Chris Plant T: 0845 6036650
Chase Chamber Patrons
Going places:
Dunston Business Village
Open spaces planned for improvement
Cannock Chase Council is using cash from the use of ‘section 106’ payments to improve an open space in Rugeley and a play area in Norton Canes. These payments are agreements between
Funding is available for firms that are going places
Businesses in Staffordshire who are looking for help with their development plans can apply for funding from an initiative which helps kick- starts projects and boosts growth. The ‘Growing Places Fund’ provides interest-
free loans to support businesses in the Stoke-on- Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership area. The fund – delivered by Staffordshire County
Council on behalf of the LEP – is available to support anything that will lead to more investment, regeneration and job creation. There is no upper limit for loans, though the minimum amount is £50,000. Previous projects using the fund have included
office developments, an advanced manufacturing facility, canalside delicatessen, student accommodation and infrastructure provision for industrial development. The fund has supported the expansion of
Dunston Business Village, at Penkridge, which has helped create new jobs by attracting a range of occupiers from all over the UK.
Dunston has added more than 50,000 sq ft of
office space, tripling in size. Managing director Adrian McLaughlin said: “I wanted to create an environment where businesses wanted to be and where people wanted to work.
‘The fund has been a great success for our business’
“Most of our businesses employ between one
and 60 people and the feedback I receive is how they all enjoy spending their working day here and that Staffordshire is a great location. “Without the Growing Places Fund, we would
not have been able to meet the high demand for our office space, within a reasonable time. It has enabled us to expand at a much quicker rate, which in turn has allowed our clients to expand and take on more employees. The fund has been a great success for our business and has certainly made a dramatic difference to our ability to meet demand.”
local councils and developers where the latter pay ‘sweeteners’ to get planning approval for schemes that would otherwise be turned down. In Rugeley, almost £50,000 has been
found to pay for improvements to open space adjoining Fortescue Lane, Bonney Drive and Eaton Drive in Rugeley. The council had already allocated
£20,000 to this project a number of years ago but this wasn’t enough to cover the improvements required. However, following a housing
development on the Western Springs Road, this has released £28,332 of additional funds from section 106 monies, which can be added to the £20,000, making a total of £48,332. Among the works will be the installation
of fencing and gates, swings for the play area and general landscaping. Councillor Christine Mitchell said: “The
council’s priorities are ‘Promoting Prosperity’ and ‘Improving Community Wellbeing’. This project will ensure the provision of a safe and welcoming space for people to use, encouraging physical activity and wellbeing and better quality of life for our residents.” The council’s cabinet has approved spending another £120,000 to improve the play area and open space at The Cema in Norton Canes.
Manufacturer further extends exporting reach
A Staffordshire manufacturer has added the 101st country to its growing list of export locations around the world. Addfield Environmental Systems, which
designs and manufactures a range of solid waste incinerators, has begun exporting to Tajikistan, a Central Asian country bordered by Afghanistan and China which was formerly part of the Soviet Union. Tajikistan has taken delivery of one of
Addfield’s medical waste incinerators. James Grant, business development director
at Addfield, said: “We have always taken great pride in our international growth as every country has its own unique barriers to trade that we have had to overcome. “In recent years we have installed machines as
far afield as Chile, Australia and even the Ascension Island. It has been a fantastic few
years of growth that shows no sign of slowing, with a number of new countries placing orders for the new year taking our number up even further.” Addfield recently joined the Department for
International Trade’s ‘Exporting is Great’ campaign as an ‘Exporting Champion’ for Midlands Engine. The Burntwood-based company had been
invited to help those looking to take their businesses international, after a number of years of successful exporting. Addfield has joined forces with 50 other
companies from across the East and West Midlands, who are collectively supporting businesses planning to expand their horizons worldwide. The champions are delivering first- hand advice and experiences through a number of events running this year.
February 2020 CHAMBERLINK 63
Overcoming barriers: James Grant
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