Projects
Economic Intrastructure
Inward investment and indigenous business expansion is recognised as the lifeblood of future prosperity in North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire. One of the ASSP’s key themes is “creating the right climate for investment”. Essential to this are - quality employment sites equipped to meet the needs of growing companies, transport links (particularly those strengthening the east-west links), and a planning system that delivers on housing and a quality, sustainable environment.
One of our major success stories of 2006/07 was the development of the Business Innovation Centre network, including the launch of The Beacon in Newark, which delivered 3,000 sq. m. of additional, high quality incubation space.
The Economic Infrastructure Issues Group prioritises projects that will have greatest impact on the sub region’s GDP, especially on:
- Sites earmarked as strategically important such as Markham Vale and those along the Mansfield-Ashfield Regeneration Route; these are within our two Growth Zones, which contain the majority of our large employment land sites
- Sub-regional centres: Chesterfield, Mansfield, Newark and Worksop
- Key settlements: Bolsover, Clay Cross, Clowne, Dronfield, Haworth/Bircotes, Killamarsh, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Ollerton/Boughton, Retford, Shirebrook, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Tuxford
Other major criteria to guide our business accommodation capital programme are
- Growth in the knowledge economy
- Shared intelligence base
- Improved links between HE/FE and business
- Strong entrepreneurial base
- Strong innovation culture
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Ashfield Hospitality and Catering Academy: A state of the art catering and hospitality academy delivering high quality vocational courses to meet skills shortages identified by local employers. |
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Dukeries Business Riverside Development: Conversion of a workshop into a two-story managed office space facility in Morton, Worksop. |
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Eckington Business Resource Centre: Demolishing a derelict building located in the centre of the town to be replaced by a two storey Business Resource Centre. |
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Cycling Centre of Excellence: Top class facilities at Sherwood Pines together with the infrastructure required to encourage participation in cycling and to encourage overnight stays and repeat visits to this area of outstanding natural beauty. |
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Rufford Garden Tourism: Four new garden themed projects to enhance the tourism potential of Rufford Park. |
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The Hardwick Vision Phase 2: Restoring and converting two large redundant Grade 1 listed 16th Century historic stone barns into an all-year-round visitor attraction. |
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Next Navigation 3: A proposal to undertake works that will further the development of tourism on the Chesterfield Canal. |
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Sconce & Devon Parks Restoration: Linking together a cluster of cultural heritage initiatives increasing Newark’s appeal as a tourist destination. |
Enterprise and Innovation
The driving objective of the ASSP’s Enterprise and Innovation Issue Group is to develop a more competitive and dynamic business base across the sub region. The creation of an environment in which enterprise and innovation is encouraged to thrive is a key part of the strategy to strengthen the economy of the sub region. A multi-pronged approach to innovation is also required.
Key themes for the group include:
- Continued support for the growth of the knowledge economy
- Work with partners to support companies with greatest growth potential, be they start ups or established businesses, plugging gaps in overall provision of business support across the region where identified
- Collaboration in initiatives that develop the “enterprise culture”, particularly aiming at the 18-30 year old bracket
- Increasing SME engagement with local universities and promoting knowledge transfer
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Enterprise Accelerator: Managed by the Princes Trust, Enterprise Accelerator aims to identify young people with entrepreneurial skills and offer support and guidance to enable them to realise their potential for self-employment and enterprise development. |
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Centre Managers Network: The Centre Managers Network aims to harness the combined knowledge and experience of managers at business innovation and incubation centres across the sub-region to improve the quality of accommodation and support available to new and growing businesses. |
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Top Flight 2: Harnessing the long term economic opportunities arising from the development of Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster. |
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Investment Project: The primary function of the Alliance Investment Team is to bring new investment business to sites and premises into the sub-region – from home or abroad – to increase economic activity in the area and create new job opportunities for local residents. Our aim is for the sub-region to become a dynamic and leading contributor to a flourishing regional economy. www.alliancenorthmidlands.co.uk |
Employment & Skills
If the sub-region is to help realise the vision for a place in Europe’s top 20 regions, it needs a highly skilled, adaptable workforce equipped for the modern economy.
Employment, learning and skills are prime drivers of economic success. Employers need a workforce with the appropriate skills to develop and deliver new products and services successfully. And people need access to a range of opportunities that will equip them with the qualifications and skills to contribute and adapt to a changing economy.
The challenge is substantial – North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire include some of the poorest communities in the country in terms of skills and qualifications*.
It is the remit of the Employment and Skills Issue Group to ensure funding is channelled into raising the bar on the sub-region’s employment and skills “credentials” by:
- encouraging projects and initiatives that raise the level of workforce skills, particularly those at higher level
- creating the conditions for sustainable employment - encouraging access to better opportunities at both sides of the spectrum, by encouraging access to skills and learning provision and employment and by attracting and retaining more graduates in the sub-region
- providing links between workforce and businesses and matching supply of skills with demand from employers
- raising people’s aspirations and encouraging more people to go into higher education and build higher-level skills
*Parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire fall well below the national higher education qualification average of 31.1 per cent – with Bolsover at just 12.2% and Ashfield (18.4%), Newark and Sherwood (19.1%), Mansfield (20.5%) and Bassetlaw (21.7%) respectively. SOURCE: Annual Population Survey, 2005, published by NOMIS, January 07 (% of active, working-age members of population with Level 4 qualifications).
Description |
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CHEA (Collaborative Higher Education Alliance). A collaboration between 5 universities and 4 colleges to promote and deliver more flexible access to higher education in the sub-region. Information: www.chea-nmidlands.ac.uk |
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Logistics CoVE (Centre of Vocational Excellence). A partnership between employers and further education providers to increase skills levels within the logistics and distribution sector. Information: www.wheels.gb.net |
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Making the Connection: Helps local people access training and job opportunities with businesses moving into or expanding within North Nottinghamshire and North Derbyshire. Information: www.making-the-connection.org Businesses wishing to discuss their recruitment needs can also call MtC direct on 01623 819816 |
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Family Employment Initiative: Provides practical and personal support to help long-term benefits claimants back into employment. The community outreach element of the Making the Connection approach (see above). Information: Tel: 01623 744 400 info@coalfields-regen.org.uk |
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Alliance Employment & Skills Board (AESB): The Employment & Skills Board aims to provide a proactive forum to help those organisations involved in the provision of employment and skills development by providing opportunities to work better together. By effectively representing the needs of employers and employees, key strategic agencies and the communities of the Alliance sub-region, the AESB aims to improve the co-ordination of funding, planning and commissioning and maximise the impact of employment and skills investment to the benefit of everyone that lives, works and does business here. Information: www.esballiance.co.uk |
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Dukeries Centre for Rural Skills & Heritage Conservation: Supporting the development of traditional skills and crafts relating to the conservation and preservation of historic buildings. The centre also provides a vital learning ‘bridge’ for members of the community who might otherwise be reluctant or unable to access more formal learning provision. |
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Idle Valley Rural Learning Centre: The Alliance SSP is contributing just under £1 million towards the creation of a flagship rural learning centre, part of the redevelopment of a former 420 ha gravel pit into a unique wetland habitat and visitor destination the Idle Valley area, north of Retford. Information: North Nottinghamshire College Telephone 01909 5040504 |
Enterprising Communities
The various strands of the ASSP’s work form part of a blueprint for prosperity across North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire – but not one that comes at any price.
The needs of communities and the environment in which they live are never compromised for the sake of economic progress. Indeed, it is the duty of the Enterprising Communities Issue Group to ensure that the people living in our most deprived communities benefit from the initiatives it helps to drive.
There is growing recognition of the potential part the third sector can play in boosting the economy and to this end, priorities include:
- Encouraging neighbourhood level regeneration through investment in projects that directly tackle poverty and disadvantage with the aim of them being self-sustaining
- Encouraging market town regeneration
- Supporting sustainable transport solutions which promote access to employment and services
- Supporting micro and social enterprises, both through funding and by providing expertise; and stimulate new and developing social enterprises
Ultimately the aim is to reduce or even eliminate the gap between the sub-region’s most and least deprived communities.
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Access Alliance: A project to assist communities in the Alliance sub-region to access jobs and services through improved and sustainable transport services. The funding programme is led by the Alliance SSP and managed on its behalf by STAR Independent Consultants Ltd. Information: www.startransport.co.uk/what11.html |
