Big business boost for Teignmouth's Broadmeadow business park

A VISION to regenerate Teignmouth has taken another major step forward after Teignbridge District Council approved plans for a new business park.

Teignbridge is forging ahead its vision to develop a small estate at Broadmeadow Industrial Estate which will provide light industrial space and office units.

The council says the vision will help create more employment and training opportunities in Teignmouth, regenerate the estate and provide long-term investment for the area.

It is hoped to create up to 53 skilled jobs in the initial phases with more coming forward through the construction process.

The scheme gained cross-party support when it was approved by Full Council at its meeting in Teignbridge’s Forde House headquarters.

The development – which should be complete by this time next year - will:

• Provide quality facilities to attract new employment opportunities within Teignmouth for new and existing businesses

• Help address the shortage of quality employment space

• To provide a high quality development in smart modern buildings on the Broadmeadow Industrial Estate which will improve the appearance of the estate

• Provide approximately 53 new jobs

• Help create more job opportunities for young people in the area

• Support new business start ups

• Increase the Council’s portfolio of commercial offices and industrial space

In 2010 Morrisons was named as Teignbridge’s preferred partner to help unlock the development potential of the area. The scheme included a new supermarket, a serviced employment area, the restoration of redundant playing fields and improved transport links including pedestrian links and cycle ways.

Morrisons opened in January and to date has created 225 permanent jobs rising to 280 during the busy tourist months.

An estimated 20 applicants were previously unemployed and a further 24 people from the Kingsway area of Teignmouth also secured a job there.

The statistics back Teignbridge’s goal to reduce the amount of people out of work and increase the opportunities for long-term investment.

Outline planning permission for the employment units was approved as part of the overall development scheme in 2011.

The units will be aimed at business start ups and young people who want to relocate or are in a position to move their business into a purpose-built space. Teignbridge will manage the units and lease them out at attractive rents to help support and encourage growth.

Cllr Stuart Barker, Teignbridge District Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Spokesperson for Assets and Resources, said: “This project is going to help provide jobs, space for young and flourishing businesses by providing dedicated space for those who are looking to relocate to a purpose built site.

“The Broadmeadow project is something the Council as a whole supports and is one we are pleased to bring forward. It ticks many boxes: job creation, potential education opportunities, regeneration and investing in our communities.

“Broadmeadow sits within the Teignmouth West Ward, which is in the top 20% of deprived wards in England and has been identified as being a place which has significant shortfall of employment space and new starter units.

““We’ve already had interest in businesses express an interest in taking space at the new site. This project will go a long way in addressing a need for creating jobs and regenerating the area for the wider benefit of Teignmouth and Teignbridge as a whole. It’s going to make a big difference to people’s lives now and in the future.

“We are all absolutely delighted to take this next step towards providing more opportunities for business, education and employment in our district.”

Cllr David Cox, Teignbridge Ward Member for West Teignmouth, added: “This development is a welcome boost for West Teignmouth. It is something I have been calling for for many years now. The project will help bring jobs to the area and rejuvenate the local economy. It is yet another coup for Teignmouth and Teignbridge.”

The project will be carried out in two stages and will consist of three blocks of buildings.

The first phase will involve two blocks being built to provide employment space through differing sized commercial units including small starter workshops. Some will be interlinked to allow businesses to expand. This phase includes the construction of road access. One building will be 1,137m2 and the other will be a total of 283m2.

Phase two could involve constructing a building with approximately 914m2 of floor space including office and training space with the potential for it to accommodate pre-apprentice training for those not in education or employment. The block will also provide some additional workspace.

The total footprint of the buildings will be 1,588m2 and each building will have toilets, kitchens, shared meeting rooms and communal spaces.

Phase one will be funded through the Council’s capital receipts.

Phase two – particularly the education element - is dependent on securing external funding with options being explored now. Once investigations have been carried out, a further report will be considered by the Council.

A tender process to appoint a contractor will get under way in April. Work is due to start in June with a projected finish date of January 2014.