62 LANCASTER/MORECAMBE
DEVELOPING GROWING PAINS
A lack of space for innovative businesses to grow is a major challenge for Lancaster and Morecambe and its local economy, business leaders are warning.
High-tech start-ups moving on to the next level struggle to find the larger accommodation they need in the district.
With little space for growth or to meet the demand of companies looking to move into the area, other sectors are also being hampered.
Sarah Cooper, marketing director of Carnforth based steel door manufacturer Strongdor, explained the challenges it has faced. She says: “We are a manufacturer, and we distribute our product to the whole of the UK, so we could be based anywhere.
“We have two sites at the moment in Carnforth and Morecambe and we need factory and head office space. We’ve tried to expand. It has taken us a year to find something suitable.
“We were really struggling and we’ve fought to stay within the district. There were opportunities in Preston and there is nothing wrong with Preston but we’ve grown our business here through innovation and lots of research and development and it has been fast and significant growth through people.
“Our staff retention is far above average, and I believe it’s because Lancaster and Morecambe is not a place you just pass through, it’s a place you stay.
“So we were so passionate to stay here. We looked at building something but it wasn’t financially viable. Now we do have a place, which is fantastic.”
However, looking at the wider picture she adds: “There’s not a lot of space, we need more, and we need to bring more manufacturing in which naturally creates so many jobs.”
One company that has gone down the construction route is GVS. The global specialist in filtration components based in Bologna, has secured planning permission to build a £10m manufacturing facility in Lancaster.
Its current UK office in Morecambe opened in 1995 and employs more than 190 people. It will
Coun Gina Dowding
Jody Lauder at Lancaster based Richard P Taylor Chartered Surveyors says finding employment space and delivering more homes are vital for the growth of the district.
He says more development and regeneration guidance is needed for those looking to inwardly invest and he adds: “The perception from outside investors is that there isn’t the opportunity to come and build commercial buildings, build employment space.
“The district has got everything going for it, but we don’t seem to be able to put houses on the ground, we don’t seem to be able to put business space on the ground.”
Dan Knowles also highlights the housing
redevelop a vacant site on Caton Road, formerly used by paper producer Sofidel.
Dan Knowles, of the Electech Innovation Cluster, highlights the challenges growing tech businesses face when looking to stay in the area.
He says the county council has invested heavily in the Fraser House tech and digital hub in Lancaster and describes it as “an absolute superstar”. However he adds: “We still don’t have the next space for companies to go to. We do not have the follow on space.”
Matt Wright at the university also sees that as a major challenge. He says: “We’re going to see more and more high quality university spin-out businesses, high tech businesses. There needs to be space for them to grow.”
situation, describing finding somewhere to live as a major challenge for young owners of start-ups, with the focus in the area on student accommodation.
Lancaster City council cabinet member Gina Dowding points out that two planning applications are being developed for housing in the city’s Canal Quarter but acknowledges “this has been years in the making”.
A masterplan has been drawn up and she adds: “The council is really keen to develop the land that it owns to hopefully give confidence to the private sector to start developing its plans.” There are also plans to increase social housing.
The councillor, who holds the climate action portfolio, also reveals that developing a “sustainable industrial strategy” is emerging as a bigger priority for the local authority.
“It’s on the agenda, it’s being recognised that we need to develop sustainable industries addressing the problems that we’re facing.”
And she points to the job-creating potential of retrofitting old buildings to make them more energy efficient.
Richard Wooldridge, director of HPA Architects, is also involved in a Lancaster based start-up, Woohoo, specialising in retrofitting heritage buildings. Given this is an area with a rich architectural history it would appear an ideal base for the fledgling business.
Richard points out that 80 per cent of buildings that will be in the country in 2050 already exist and he adds: “All the focus on sustainability has been on new buildings and not a lot on how to retrofit older buildings.”
Paul Aisthorpe, managing director of business coaching and training business Scale-Ability, which is based in Lancaster, believes global and national challenges are slowing down decision making on critical local issues such as the need for more commercial and industrial space.
He adds: “If the Bay Gateway took 30 years to come to fruition as is talked about, I don’t think you can argue with the opinion that significant infrastructure investment is not going to become any easier with increased uncertainty about how public sector money comes into the district.”
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