Can you tell me what the Golden Valley Development is?
That’s hard to capture in a single sentence. The development will be something far beyond a standard business or housing development and it will take a number of years to become a complete reality.
The development really became something people started talking about around two years ago, when Cheltenham Borough Council completed the purchase of the land. The land has been designated for development and under Council control can now be managed to achieve the desired outcome of the Golden Valley Development, home of Cyber Central UK.
The initial concept was to create a ‘cyber centre’ for businesses in the tech sector in Cheltenham; this progressed to become a mixed-use development that will include housing, entertainment, and infrastructure to support a live, work and play environment. It will go well beyond your average development; it will be an innovative campus for all.
How would you describe Cyber Central UK?
Cyber Central and the innovation centre will be the beating heart of the Golden Valley Development, for the industries based there and the entire community. It will also be a social centre, a place where people can come together not just to collaborate in a professional sense, but to meet in, to learn in and to enjoy.
I relish the idea that everyone, young and old alike, will have the opportunity to benefit from the potential this area presents.
What is your role for the Golden Valley Development and Cyber Central UK?
I am the Programme Officer, supporting the project team driving the development forward, which involves communications at all levels, both inward within Cheltenham Borough Council, between stakeholders involved and with the general public.
I am one of the cogs in the big wheel that makes this ambition become a reality. That communication network, like a myriad of spider's webs, has recently expanded to include our preferred development partner, HBD X Factory, as well.
What is your background?
My first career was as a Stage Manager for theatre and opera companies - project management, but in a very different environment. Somebody once said to me that the Golden Valley Development would be the biggest production I would ever work on!
I moved to Cheltenham around 15 years ago and found a temporary job with a full-service marketing agency, which ended up lasting 12 years! A spell of event management followed, but I was curious about the emerging cyber tech scene and finding a project role that was closely associated with this. The last two years working with the Golden Valley project have been a huge learning curve and proof positive that you can change direction and use your experience in a different field.
What will the Golden Valley Development deliver?
The Golden Valley Development will deliver around 12,000 new jobs and around 3,700 homes, some of which will be affordable homes. It will also offer something that is forward thinking in every respect, not just in the way that it is built, but also in the environment that is created. It will definitely be a master signal towards the way of the future, a sustainable future in every respect.
Cheltenham is very much entrenched in people's minds as a historical place in the Cotswolds that you go to visit to see beautiful old buildings. Beneath that layer, I have come to realise that it has a massive tech and art scene that you often do not see on the surface and we need to build upon that. When science and creativity combine that is when we see the birth of some of the greatest innovation.
I believe there is a way of integrating technology and healthy ways of living towards sustainability for everybody. Sustainability is no longer just about recycling, methods of building, how we use our power or how we drive - it is about something much more than that. We need to build a strong sense of community here both in a working and lifestyle sense; that is something that our preferred developers are very cognisant of.
You have been involved in the development of the GV Magazine. What is its purpose?
The GV Magazine’s principal purpose is to communicate directly with the local community and keep them updated with the progress of the project. A proportion of the population are not digitally enabled, or prefers not to be, and we have carefully considered how we share information with these people in mind. People still enjoy reading something physical that they can refer back to.
It is not just a platform for us to share information; it is a means for local people to have their say as well. We want the community to feel they have ownership of the project and the magazine is the starting point of giving them that stake in the development. Our latest edition focuses on existing local groups and businesses as well as the latest plans for the project. We are not just talking, we are also listening and GV Magazine is just the beginning.
The Golden Valley Development has many stakeholders and interested parties; how are you managing this?
Support & enthusiasm for the project has been overwhelming. The Golden Valley Development project team is relatively small considering the huge task ahead but each brings a different skill to the party and we have a shared sense of positivity and drive. Ultimately, it’s about good communication, learning from this vast community and working together with our partners for the best possible outcome.
You have always put the local community around the Golden Valley Development at the heart; why is this important and what are your plans?
Some of the communities closest to the development have some of the highest incidences of deprivation in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire. The Golden Valley Development is a conduit to work with the local community to provide opportunities to those neighbourhoods and we are currently creating a social value policy with the preferred development partner. We have met with several representatives from the community in order to really understand the challenges that they and we face, and how we can maximise the opportunities that the Golden Valley could offer.
As a collective, we want to improve both employability and accessibility, whilst giving a sense of neighbourhood ownership and, somewhere to be proud of. If local people have a stake in that from the outset then they will value it. We need to include everybody and there will be a number of consultations going forward. We cannot fix everything immediately or suddenly resolve every issue; it’s a long-term mission that we are entering into.
How will the Golden Valley Development support Cheltenham and the local economy?
It will be an attractor for business and it will bring visitors, employers and employees to the area, but also provide employment opportunities for the Cheltenham community that may not have existed previously. It will hopefully prevent people that would have ordinarily gone to a city in search of training or employment to stay in their home town by providing that thing that they have been looking for right on their doorstep.
It will provide an alternative aspect to Cheltenham, which I think will be very appealing. We already are renowned as a town in the Cotswolds that has lots of festivals and great shopping facilities, but there is a whole other side to the town as well. I think it could be known as an innovative place to go, giving its rural image a modern edge. The business and the employability will really drive it forward and the more people that use it the more of every type of associated service and facility will be required.
What opportunities will the Golden Valley Development present to young people, especially beyond cyber?
It will provide a new place to go; it is not just a park or a shopping centre, it will be all those things and more rolled into one. It needs to be a safe place where they feel comfortable and also one that is exciting and interesting.
Some schools are already including the development plans in their curriculum, not just in computer sciences but geography, economics… this is history in the making.
There will be career opportunities in building, planning, surveying, administration… and some of these jobs will be available even before construction begins. For those that are interested in cyber or tech of every kind there are learning opportunities for every age group. There is a reason why organisations like Bamboo Technology and Hub8 Gloucestershire College have moved to their West Cheltenham sites; they want to be a part of the development and the potential that it brings.
As a student, you could go to school or college, gain a qualification and then find employment opportunities at the Golden Valley Development. By having everything in one place, accessibility is increased tenfold because it is on your doorstep.
Make sure you keep an eye out for our brand new careers video in the New Year, exploring how the development will provide exciting new prospects for young people across the region. However, this is not just about young people; there are potential opportunities for everyone.
For those who have an interest in cyber, how can they get involved?
From the wise words of Madeline Howard, Director at CyNam, I would say, “Come out of your bedroom.” This is the perfect metaphor - many young people will be in their bedrooms connecting virtually, others are completely in the dark about what exactly ‘cyber’ means. You need to look at the different strands of cyber and the world of technology and what interests you, what skills you have and what you could train in. Look at courses or join local groups; all schools have groups and clubs, from hacking to digital music technologies.
Read, do your research, talk to others, ask questions. One of the first things I did when I was looking into the world of cyber was going to a CyNam event and I have been going to them ever since. I think you need to break down that kind of fear of a world unknown because actually it all makes sense. I attended a talk given on cyber security by the central government because it is something that we should all learn about, it affects us all and there is no escaping that fact.
If that interests you, think about what element you would like to explore further. It might be that you want to work in the health sector or for a government organisation. Considering the secure nature of what they do for a living, people in the cyber community are actually accessible and easy to talk to once you make that first step.
Where do you think the Golden Valley development will be in 10 years?
I can envisage that Cyber Central UK will be built and full of people. I would like to see people going there not just to work, but to walk, to enjoy the open spaces, have a coffee, visit an interactive display or event, watch a concert or have a meal. I would love to see the technology and creative technologies on display for people to observe what is happening so that you break down all that mystique and allow everyone to be part of it.
There will be hundreds of new homes built and full. We have to be realistic, it is going to take a number of years and there will be a number of challenges along the way, but I look forward to seeing the end result.
I was asked a while ago, where do you want to be when you are older? Do you want to drive through West Cheltenham and think ‘I was part of that’? I am passionate about it and feel fortunate to be in the position I am.
How can businesses be part of the Golden Valley Development?
If you would like to be involved in the project, you can get in touch via our website.
We already have a number of interested parties that want to occupy the site but there is still space, please let us know.
It does not matter who you are or what your background is; this project is for everyone. Just get in touch by filling out our contact form and a member of our team will respond to your email.
What is next for the development?
We are currently in discussions with our preferred development partner to secure agreements that will form part of our final contract agreement with them. We need to make sure that we are aligned on every element of the process of creating the Golden Valley Development
Cheltenham Borough Council aims to have reached a contract agreement with HBD X Factory in the Spring of 2022 then we will go into planning approval, which also takes several months. A number of public consultations will take place during the planning phase. This is the opportunity for everyone to have their say, to get involved and be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.