Autumn Business Boost for Thames Gateway London
The last two months have seen some notable highlights for Thames Gateway London and confirmed the region's growing reputation as a leading business location offering a huge variety of opportunities for its companies and industries.
In October, companies behind the Business Improvement District (BID) at Hainault Business Park announced plans to raise £1million over the next five years to improve the fifty year old business park in the London Borough of Redbridge.
The Hainault Business Partnership, which has been strongly supported by Gateway to London and backed by 85% of businesses on the park from the outset, is the first such industrial based BID in the Thames Gateway. Under the scheme, businesses on the estate voted to contribute an extra 1% of their rateable value per year into a fund for direct improvements to the newly branded business park.
Planned improvements include extending CCTV coverage across the whole of the Park and its 165 businesses, erecting much needed gating and fencing, road safety improvements and landscaping. There are also plans for job and training schemes to provide a better supply of skilled local labour for businesses on the Park, including working closely with local high schools and the wider community.
Speaking on the plans, Aman Dalvi, Chief Executive of Gateway to London said;
"The Hainault Business Partnership has already delivered a huge boost for the park, making it an even better place to do business and attracting new companies looking to invest or relocate in Thames Gateway London.
"The Partnership's work has clearly shown that BIDs have the capacity to make much needed long term improvements to the environment and public realm which play key roles in helping increase business performance and productivity. I therefore welcome the Partnership's plans to build on this success and raise funds for further improvements to the park.
I am also delighted to see the Partnership sharing it's expertise with businesses in the London Riverside area of Havering, who hope to have a similar scheeme up and running next April."
October also saw phase 4 of Teesland IOG's highly successful IO Woolwich Arsenal Centre win the prestigious Best Multi-Unit Development Award at the Industrial Agents Society/Office Agents Society Awards which showcase the most successful office and industrial developments undertaken in the UK over the past 12 months, and the companies that delivered them. Recognising the high quality and detail of the scheme, the award judges commended Teesland IOG for the initial investment seven years ago in what was then a relatively unproven location.
And finally, the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham has been short listed for Regeneration Partnership of the Year at the prestigious 2006 Regeneration Awards. The annual industry awards recognise the schemes, organisations and people that have helped breathe new life into areas of the UK and delivered improved opportunities for local communities. Barking & Dagenham is one of only two local councils short listed for any of the 16 categories, a tremendous achievement and well earned recognition for the authority's commitment to regeneration over the past few years. Gateway to London congratulates Barking & Dagenham on this hugely deserved nomination and wishes the council the best of luck in the award presentation ceremony on the 4 December.
