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Partners reveal new vision for borough's growth

Posted on Tuesday 11th December 2018
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Castle House, Newcastle

A new vision for future cultural and economic development in Newcastle-under-Lyme has been unveiled.

The ‘Vision for Growth’ is a joint initiative between Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council that aims to reflect the continued and enhanced commitment of the two councils to working together in order to deliver on a number of objectives for the area over the next decade.

The document outlines the shared priorities that can be achieved by close working including economic growth, accelerated housing development, improved jobs and skills and development of the borough’s distinctive culture.

Philip Atkins, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, added:

We have a strong and successful relationship with Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and have already delivered a great deal together over recent years.

The Growth Deal strategy sets out ambitious plans how, with others, especially the Borough’s residents, we will deliver inclusive economic and community growth in priority areas, focusing our resources into a number of key priority activities and initiatives over the next three years; laying the foundations for longer term increased prosperity for the borough.

The New Keele Deal has already achieved so much – bringing together a range of organisations to increase skills, business investment and community health. We also continue our work with the borough council to regenerate Newcastle town centre, from Castle House to the bus station improvements. We look forward to seeing plans at the urban centres of Kidsgrove and Knutton develop.

In more recent times our collaborative working can be witnessed at a strategic level in the Constellation Partnership and at an operational level it has delivered the new Castle House, a one-stop place for public services. Together we will ensure the borough gets the most out of HS2 and aim to retain graduates from the university and college so everyone can make the most out of these new opportunities and their skills can benefit the whole local area.”

Simon Tagg, Leader of the Borough Council, said:

The aims and opportunities set out in this document are deliberately ambitious but we have an excellent track record of working with partners to achieve shared goals.

We know that we will need the drive and determination of both councils, our key partners and our communities to achieve everything that the vision sets out but we are moving forward confidently, investing in the long-term economic prosperity of the borough and its people.”

The vision prioritises growing the professional services in Newcastle and making the most of the unique independent retail services.

Lancaster Building and the historic outdoor market have also been recognised as being key areas of focus in the town’s future and the Ryecroft site has been identified as one of the key drivers for a new direction in retail development.

In Kidsgrove, town centre partners will work together to make sure that all parts of the community benefit from the many opportunities that HS2 can provide, including a regeneration package to secure the wider economic growth of the borough’s second town centre, which will include working with the community to develop deliverable plans for a new leisure centre.

Some of the partner organisations that will be working closely with the two councils are: the Constellation Partnership (housing and employment around HS2), Midlands Connect (rail connectivity) and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (employment and skills).

Other geographical areas that are included in the shared vision are Knutton, where there will be  more housing choice for local people, and Keele University and the Science and Innovation Park.

The new ‘Vision for Growth’ continues the established close working of all of these partners and follows on from the commitments set out in the ‘Keele Deal’.

Over the last two decades, among other achievements, the partnership has helped to regenerate Silverdale Colliery and Holditch Colliery sites, creating more than 4,000 jobs and 300 new homes and, in more recent times, has delivered the Castle House building in Newcastle, a state-of-the-art shared hub for public services.

The ‘Vision for Growth’ will be discussed by both Councils’ Cabinets in early December.

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