11 March 2008

Tolvaddon business park expansion plans on display

Plans to expand the successful Tolvaddon Energy Park at Camborne as a high quality, energy-efficient business park that could create 450 new jobs go on display this week.

The proposals would create a landmark development partially fronting the A30 on a key approach to Camborne, Pool and Redruth and link the local Tolvaddon community with Pool via a new pedestrian, cycle and bus route.

There would be a range of contemporary office and light industrial units, new planting, green spaces and streets that are pedestrian and cycle friendly. The whole business park would be designed to minimise energy use both during and after construction, and there is a possibility that it could be powered by its own wind turbine.

Including the existing phase one, the total public and private sector investment at Tolvaddon would amount to £30 million.
Kerrier District Council's Major Projects Team, working with CPR Regeneration and the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), is staging an exhibition this Thursday looking at how the site could be developed.

Most of the land in question - around 30 acres - has been bought by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) and is earmarked for office and industry use.

Although the overall plans are at an early stage, part of the site already has planning permission for a £6.5 million 'hybrid' office and light industrial scheme by developer Priority Sites, which is likely to start before the end of the year and accommodate more than 120 jobs.

Dave Slatter, manager of the Kerrier Major Projects Team, which is funded by the Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "This exhibition is the culmination of 18 months of work looking at how we can create an appealing business environment that can showcase excellent design and harness the very latest in green technology."

Nigel Tipple, chief executive of CPR Regeneration, said: "Phase one of Tolvaddon Energy Park, which opened in 2002, set new standards at the time for design and the use of renewable energy and we want to continue that tradition with a high quality development that acts as a gateway to Camborne, Pool and Redruth and is a flagship regeneration project for the area."

Stephen Bohane, head of business development for the South West RDA in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "The RDA spotted the potential for Tolvaddon to make a major contribution to the regeneration of the area several years ago and took a calculated risk in developing office space in a market that had not been tested.

Phase one has since been a huge success and our further investment in buying the neighbouring land is a good example of how we can unlock business potential in Cornwall and by working with our partners create hundreds of high quality jobs."
The public exhibition takes places on Thursday, March 13, from 3pm to 8pm at the offices of Community Energy Plus on the Tolvaddon Energy Park.

Following the consultation, a final masterplan for the whole site will be submitted to Kerrier District Council to take through the Local Development Framework process for adoption, which will help determine future detailed planning applications on the business park.