Bid to create Haven enterprise zone along A120
A bid to create an enterprise zone along the A120 linking Harwich with Stansted has been submitted by The Haven Gateway Partnership. The bid for an 'A120 Enterprise Corridor Enterprise Zone' envisages three sites at Braintree, Tendring Europark and Harwich Valley near Dovercourt, which would offer tax breaks to encourage business investment. At the partnership’s agm this week, Steve Clarke, the partnership's executive director, gave a presentation on the submission of a bid for the zone and highlighted a study on Braintree to Marks Tey road improvements. News on the bid for the zone, which has the backing of the South East LEP, may emerge in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement in November.
At the agm, George Kieffer, chairman of the Haven Gateway, pointed to recognition for the partnership's A120 campaign by the government, which recently confirmed it would jointly fund a feasability study for improvements to the road. Local MPs Will Quince and Bernard Jenkin highlighted the economic potential of the area and the key role for an improved A120 .
Separately, Haverhill and Suffolk chambers of commerce are launching an ‘A1307 Manifesto’ to tackle problems on the road linking Haverhill and Cambridge which has been plagued by heavy traffic.
Business opportunities in space to be explored
New Anglia LEP’s innovation event iExpo will host a ‘Google Hangout’ with the UK Space Agency and Satellite Applications Catapult in Centrum at Norwich Research Park on Tuesday 6th October at 6pm. It will explore opportunities in the space sector to businesses in areas such as energy, ICT, advanced manufacturing and engineering, agri-tech and life sciences. Colin Baldwin of the UK Space Agency said: “The UK space sector is a success story, with growth averaging 8 per cent pa over the past decade. The sector has an ambitious target to quadruple in size between 2010 and 2030 to a turnover of £40bn per annum. iExpo 2015 will provide us to highlight the ways Space can help companies in New Anglia to grow.” To register go to https://www.crowdcast.io/e/newanglialep1
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Demand for office space in Ely is picking up as demand from Cambridge ripples out. Cheffins has recently let office suites in Prospect House and Gemini House on Cambridgeshire Business Park, near Ely “Benefitting from excellent railway links and with office costs typically around half that of equivalent space in Cambridge, Ely is not just a local market.....regional or national occupiers who want to be near to Cambridge can achieve that without paying Cambridge rents and still enjoy amenities valued by staff,” said Tom Owens from Cheffins.
Chesterford Research Park near Cambridge played host to 75 top Polish academics over the summer as part of the international outreach programme run by Cambridge Enterprise, part of the university. The nine week ‘Top 500 Innovators’ training programme was part of a bid to bridge the gap between academia and business in Poland.
Savills, has let office space at Victory House on Vision Park, Histon, Cambridge to commodity trading software provider Brady Plc. It has agreed a new 10-year lease on space totalling 7,451 sq ft and will occupy part of the first floor of the three storey building. Brady will pay an annual rent of £193,726 or £26 per sq ft. Phillip Ridoutt, director of business space at Savills Cambridge, said: “The demand for high quality Grade A office space in Cambridge’s northern fringe area has continued to grow.” The agent was acting for Royal London Mutual Insurance and XLB Properties,
Ensors Chartered Accountants has expanded its senior management team at its Fornham All Saints office near Bury with the promotion of three key members of staff, David Nicolson, Chris Barrett and Neil Meekings, to director level. Having joined Ensors in 2005 as a personal tax manager, David Nicolson becomes director in charge of the private client group in Fornham. Chris Barrett (photo, right) joined Ensors in 2001 and having recently sat his Chartered Institute of Taxation exams, becomes director of corporate services based in Fornham. Qualifying as a certified accountant with Ensors in 2004, Neil Meekings becomes director of business services, responsibile for developing the firm’s general practice client base with a focus on agriculture and rural businesses. Graham Page, partner in charge of Ensors' Fornham All Saints office, said: “The addition of Chris and Neil to our team and the strengthening of our senior management by the promotion of David just reinforces our commitment to the local business community."
Lindacre, the authorised Land Rover Service Centre in Ipswich, has appointed Sean Reeve (photo, right) as its new service manager. He said: “It is with great excitement I join Lindacre Land Rover as the Service Manager. This is a key moment for Lindacre as we look to further drive the Service Department forward, building long term partnerships with our customers giving them peace of mind when having their vehicle serviced”. He has over 14 years’ experience in the vehicle industry, having started as a technician with Hunters Land Rover in Norwich in 2001. He was appointed to Lindacre in August, having previously spent 8 years in Hong Kong working for the Porsche Race Team.
Birketts, is a finalist in two categories at the inaugural Cambridgeshire Digital Awards for innovation and progressive thinking. The firm’s marketing department has been shortlisted for its ‘Use of Social Media for Business’ and ‘Use of Video for Business’. Matthew Rowe, PR and communications manager, said: “To be a finalist in two categories is fantastic news. It is particularly pleasing to receive the recognition for our animated corporate video which has now received over 800 views since it launched at the end of July. Professional services firms are often seen as out of touch with the world of social media. However, we have seen substantial growth in the level of engagement on both LinkedIn and Twitter during the last financial year. Our followers on LinkedIn increased by 35 per cent and on Twitter by 38 per cent during this period."
The video can be seen via Birketts’ YouTube channel.
Ashton KCJ has appointed a new solicitor, Sophie McCadney, to its commercial property team, based at the firm’s Cambridge office on Newmarket Road. She qualified as a solicitor in 2012 at a firm in Newmarket and will be focusing on the sale and purchase of freehold and leasehold premises, management of investment properties, development work and landlord and tenant matters.
Davide Graziano, HR & training co-ordinator at Wyboston Lakes conference centre, has won the Best Support role award at this year’s Meetings Industry Association List event. Heidi Pegrum, HR Director said: “It is great that Davide’s patient work with us in our small HR team, as well as his dedication to supporting our departments, has been recognised outside the organisation. “
Simon Girling, director of Ipswich-based SEH French, has been appointed as national chair of the National Federation of Builders. He took up the role of chairman for Suffolk in 2012 and became Eastern chairman in 2014.
Over 30 representatives from regional businesses and organisations recently attended a reception at Downing College to showcase its conference and events facilities. Guests saw the college’s flagship facilities including the Howard Theatre with its sustainable credentials, the classical-style Hall, the refurbished Assembly Room and the hotel-standard en suite bedrooms. Jacqui Cressey, conference services manager at Downing said: “We received excellent feedback on our facilities and visitors were genuinely impressed with the unique spaces we have on offer, as well as our attractive and tranquil setting in 20-acre grounds within the city centre. They were also very complimentary about our award-winning food, created by the catering team here.
Photo (l to r): Dan Lucas, Cambridge Enterprise; Sam McGinty; Wellcome Trust – Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute; Christopher Burton, The Jockey Club; Susannah Flint, Downing College; Surri Graver, The Jockey Club.
