North Staffordshire has a whole host of regeneration initiatives that are about to get under way.  The local authority is driving forward these major developments with a co-ordinated approach via the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership (NSRP).

The partnership has developed a £1.5 billion plan for the transformation of the region that will see two decades of urban developments across the city of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle Borough.

The NSRP’s vision for 2030 is to transform the North Staffordshire area into a place that offers prosperity and quality of life by design, for the people who live and work here.

Over the next two decades the NSRP will lead redevelopment plans for a multi-million pound new shopping centre, central bus station and improved transport links, a vibrant Business District and University Quarter, as well as improvements to Cheadle, Leek and Biddulph and Newcastle town centres.

For local companies this offers the opportunity to get involved and ensure the wealth generated by the projects ends up in the pockets of local businesses – with Build Up playing a central part in this process.  

Build Up North Staffordshire have identified the 3 industry sectors that are likely to benefit most from these regeneration plans as well as playing a key role in the growth of the area’s future economy, and are keen to work with ambitious and forward-looking businesses in these sectors.

Future projects, which will feature on the Build Up website include:

East West Precinct, City Centre (www.eastwestcentre.co.uk)

The existing east and west shopping precincts and neighbouring bus station will be redeveloped.  A new bus station will be built on John Street car park and a second prestige shopping centre will also be built off John Street. They will be linked to the current city centre retail hub by pedestrianisation and public squares. Plans have already been submitted and work is scheduled to begin on the bus station relocation in spring 2009

Business District, City Centre

A £200m business district is set to be created, delivering 2,500 new jobs in high quality new buildings on land bounded by Potteries Way, Warner Street and Broad Street.  Planning submissions are scheduled for winter 2009 with Phase 1 of the business district scheduled to begin in summer 2011.

University Quarter (www.uniq-stoke.co.uk)

A partnership has been formed between Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent College, the Sixth Form College and key regeneration partners to create a thriving University Quarter to support both physical and economic regeneration.   Building projects include a new Sixth Form College centre, a performing arts and music centre, a knowledge hub and a new media centre, sports and science centres as well as redevelopment of both the University's Stoke campus and Stoke on Trent College's Cauldon site. The five year development plan begins in autumn 2009.

Keele University Science Park (www.kusp.co.uk)

Ambitious plans, to transform Keele University Science & Business Park into the Ultimate Campus for the 21st Century, are now in place after Advantage West Midlands approved £8.3 million funding towards the scheme. The expansion proposals are for 38 acres of mixed-use, high-quality commercial buildings for knowledge-based companies, academic research facilities, a specialist conference and training centre and student residential accommodation. Another 32 acres will incorporate open space, landscaping, roads and services. All of the existing mature woodlands surrounding the site are to be retained as a backdrop to the development.

Chatterley Valley

A state-of-the-art sustainable employment park will be developed on a 290 acre site straddling the Stoke-on-Trent / Newcastle-under-Lyme boundary. Phase one will see the redevelopment of 96 acres to create a flagship enterprise centre, industrial unit workshops, warehousing and open space. Phase two will focus on the creation of a hi-tech manufacturing site. Infrastructure work is now complete on the Lowlands Road region of the site.

Etruria Valley

This site, with extensive canal frontage, will form an extension to the established and successful Festival Park development. The project will comprise a new Business Park on a site totalling 120 acres. An options study, to establish the way forward, has been commissioned.