Boost for city jobs as Block J gets £5.5 million funding (From The Argus)
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Boost for city jobs as Block J gets £5.5 million funding
1:31pm Tuesday 26th February 2013 in News By John Keenan, business editor
Masterplan: artist's impression of Block J
More than 300 jobs will be created in £5.5 million hotel and office development in a city centre.
Coast to Capital, the Local Enterprise Partnership for West Sussex, Croydon, Brighton & Hove, Lewes and the Gatwick Diamond has backed a plan to develop derelict land near Brighton station.
Block J was part of the railway goods yard until the 1970s. It is the last piece of the New England Quarter Masterplan which was started in 2001 when the area was divided into 15 blocks for regeneration.
This is the first investment that has drawn down money from the Government’s Growing Places Fund through Coast to Capital.
The LEP has £23 million of Government funding under the Growing Places Fund and expect to announce further loans soon.
Ron Crank, chief executive, Coast to Capital said “Our aim is to remove blockages that are preventing development and private sector employment. This is one of Coast to Capital’s major strategies. Substantial budgets have already been approved and further funding for projects will be announced shortly.”
Tim Wates, vice chairman of Coast to Capital and chairman of the Growing Places Committee, said: “This project is typical of those in which we would like to invest. We are looking for both the private and public sector to come forward with innovative projects that will provide employment in our area.”
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Comments(11)
Phani Tikkala
says...
1:53pm Tue 26 Feb 13
toldsloth wrote:Exactly... empty office space everywhere already.... old offices being converted into flats.... how exactly are the developers planning to get tenants?
Seriously? we have a glut of enpty office space which is impossible to let - check out the buildings on Preston Road. Also the last time I checked, the City had a fair few hotels including The Jury's Inn right next to the proposed development.
rolivan
says...
2:02pm Tue 26 Feb 13
Phani Tikkala wrote:Not only that anyone working there will have to reside outside the city so earnings will be spent elsewhere.
toldsloth wrote:Exactly... empty office space everywhere already.... old offices being converted into flats.... how exactly are the developers planning to get tenants?
Seriously? we have a glut of enpty office space which is impossible to let - check out the buildings on Preston Road. Also the last time I checked, the City had a fair few hotels including The Jury's Inn right next to the proposed development.
Crystal Ball
says...
2:05pm Tue 26 Feb 13
Ta daa!
s_james
says...
2:31pm Tue 26 Feb 13
rolivan
says...
2:35pm Tue 26 Feb 13
s_james wrote:Does that apply to Residential as well?
We actually have a relatively low level of vacant office space compared to other cities. There needs to be a certain level of empty premesis for the market to function properly. Older offices are often unsuitable for modern office requirements.
s_james
says...
2:55pm Tue 26 Feb 13
toldsloth
says...
3:24pm Tue 26 Feb 13
s_james wrote:There are at least three large and modern office buildings partially of completely vacant on Preston Road. These are not "unsuitable for modern office requirements" in the slightest yet this proposal want to add more. In fact there is vacant space in the Trfalgar House development.......im
We actually have a relatively low level of vacant office space compared to other cities. There needs to be a certain level of empty premesis for the market to function properly. Older offices are often unsuitable for modern office requirements.
mediately adjacent to Brighton Station and.......immediatel
y adjacent to the proposed new build!
Seriously this is a pipe dream. The area could well do with some cost effective housing (not the hugely overpriced prison camp that is "the New England Sector". The problem is nobody wants to take the risk and would rather cadge money for a waste of time prestige pie in the sky development as this one. Here we go again - "Back to the 80's"!
tradebooker
says...
3:33pm Tue 26 Feb 13
s_james
says...
3:55pm Tue 26 Feb 13
rolivan
says...
4:03pm Tue 26 Feb 13
s_james wrote:There is a Station at Preston Park it would only be a 5 minute walk.
Yes there are some vacant offices on Preston Road, mainly because of the location. Companies want to be in the city centre.
toldsloth says...
1:41pm Tue 26 Feb 13