Published on 5 August 2022
The Golden Valley Development is an exciting new project for Cheltenham and the wider Gloucestershire area and although it is not yet a physical entity, it is already having an impact on the area.
The development will combine local communities with world-class cyber businesses and academic facilities. The plans to build an environmentally stable home for the UK cyber, digital, and creative sectors will bring a welcome change to the community, not to mention the 3,700 homes and 12,000 jobs that are expected to be created during construction, planning and after the development has officially opened.
In this blog, we will explore the impact that the project is already providing on local, national and international levels.
Recent developments from the project
The development is starting to take shape with significant milestones being met. On 6th June 2022, Cheltenham saw the completion of the West Cheltenham Transport Improvement Scheme. This is a key part of the first phase of the development with GFirst LEP successfully securing a significant investment for the Growth Deal funding from Central Government. It will help to increase connectivity to the site, making it accessible to people across the UK and beyond.
In July 2022, HBD X Factory was formally chosen as the development partner by Cheltenham Borough Council to deliver the first phase of the Golden Valley Development. This is a joint venture between UK property developer HBD and the international innovation campus developer, Factory.
On this development, Rowena Hay, Leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, said, “Its significance will be far-reaching and deliver benefits to the county, the wider region, nationally and beyond. It will also bring education opportunities, career paths and homes to residents of Cheltenham now and into the future.”
Looking further back, in December 2021, the Cabinet Office launched its new £2.6bn National Cyber Strategy, outlining the government’s priorities for the sector, as well as plans for investment in the UK’s cyber skills and more. The Golden Valley Development was mentioned because the government is helping to increase support to areas outside of London and South East England.
Sparking new opportunities
The Golden Valley Development’s vision to build the fast-growing cyber enterprise is being helped along by Hub8 and Gloucestershire College as they teamed up in September last year to create Hub8 Gloucestershire College which will enable the local ecosystem to develop and grow in preparation for the development. Hub8’s passion for helping young tech innovators will drive the younger generation to the area and to create the community that has been envisioned.
It’s not only professionals that the Golden Valley Development will benefit, young people in secondary schools and colleges will have better access to a wider range of job aspirations and prospects that comes hand in hand with the development. Also, the project is ideally placed for collaborating with local schools and colleges and there will be 20 universities within a 75-minute drive of the site.
Schools in the area such as All Saints’ Academy are helping its pupils to develop skills that will help them into a wide range of careers and the Golden Valley Development will provide opportunities for people of all ages to build experience. It will also provide an influx in job prospects for Cheltenham and the surrounding areas.
Catherine Cain, Assistant Vice Principal and Careers Lead at All Saints’ Academy said that "There is a need to amplify a positive vibe amongst all our young people and the local community through the need for more engagement with promotional events to get the word out there that the Golden Valley Development is the most exciting thing to happen in Cheltenham for a long time."
Elsewhere, two prominent Gloucestershire design agencies Mighty and Third Floor Design, have joined forces in a bid to utilise the opportunities created by The Golden Valley Development, according to SoGlos. They also said the increased number of cyber businesses in the local area meant that they could attract companies who were previously looking to outsource design work to London agencies.
James Ashe, Owner and Founder of Mighty said, “Lots of cyber-related businesses are already here, and that number is only expected to get bigger as more and more look to locate here and we want to be one of those to benefit from the Golden Valley factor. We want to make sure they and everyone else knows they do not have to look to London or elsewhere for the skills they need to help brand their companies, to handle their marketing and messages – no matter how big they are.”
Understanding its global impact
The Golden Valley Development will work with local institutions, such as CyNam, Hub8, Cheltenham Festivals and the upcoming Minister Exchange, supporting growth and keeping the town as bustling as ever. Not to mention that the Brewery Quarter in Cheltenham continues to bring people to the town centre, with recent additions including BrewDog, Flight Club and Pho.
With this development set to be the center of UK cyber, we can expect interest from companies from around the globe. These companies will help the UK and its diverse workforce to experience more of the sector and build relationships, as well as allow those from other areas to join the thriving ecosystem here in Cheltenham.
We believe that this exciting new development is going to grow our community and make it stronger for years to come. The opportunities for job growth, housing and the future are endless and its impact will be felt across the world.
For more information: https://www.goldenvalleyuk.com