district
focus
to ensure the current and future
needs of local businesses and
economy are emphasised and
represented at all levels of
government through the district’s
local economic partnership,
Canterbury 4 Business (C4B).
C4B has six project groups focusing
on a range of themes such as
lobbying for local road improvements
in the strategic projects group to
business mentoring in the
enterprise group.
Maintaining and generating
economic data – The Team retains
and undertakes detailed intelligence
on the economic characteristics
and future economic potential of
the district.
Regeneration – Three key urban
regeneration projects are ongoing
in the district – at Canterbury
West, Wincheap and the coastal
town of Herne Bay. The Team
is a link between government
initiatives and the wider local
community - a good example of
this is the East Kent Partnership
where the team works with partners
to assist the development of local
knowledge-based industries (for
example - Canterbury Business
Innovation Centre and Enterprise
Hub projects).
Town Centre Management –
The Town Coordinators for
Canterbury, Herne Bay and
Whitstable are part of the Local
Economy team and provide a
valuable link with business in those
Commercial development and
inward investment - wherever
possible the council supports and
facilitates local business expansions
and re-investments, working closely
with Locate in Kent, and a free online
property register of over 350 locally
available commercial property and
sites is available. The council owns
and manages two sets of small
business offices/units that provide
incubator type accommodation for
start-up and growing businesses.
The latest facility is Lakesview
Enterprise Centre, which comprises
14 office incubator units, providing
modern accommodation in a fully
supported business environment.
Business advice and support –
The Local Economy Team directs
both local businesses and potential
start-up businesses to the
appropriate information, business
agencies or organisations offer
services including training and
skills development. Businesses
can develop new commercial
opportunities between local
companies via an online business
directory, and enjoy the benefits
of regular business events.
Grants and access to finance –
The new website portal
Canterbury4Grants is a free
service giving access to the latest
information on business grants and
finance. http://www.open4business.
info/canterbury
A voice and advocate for business –
The Local Economy Team seeks
Picture courtesy of Kent Tourism Alliance
Canterbury Cathedral Lodge,
Conference Centre
Canterbury City Council
The city council’s Local Economy Team provides information,
advice and support in eight key areas:
56
district
focus
57
C4B Environment Sub Group
A key focus and coordinator of
business/environment activities
in the district is Canterbury 4
Business’ Environment sub-group.
This meets bi-monthly, comprises
27 C4B associate members,
including businesses, local
colleges and universities.
The aim of the group is to provide
C4B Associates with access to a
range of guidance on environmental
issues likely to impact on their
business to include:
• Alerting businesses to existing
sources of help and information;
• Illustrating the potential
advantages to be gained
by making businesses
“environmentally responsible”
(e.g. staff engagement, healthier
employees, saving money,
competitive advantage etc);
• Providing case studies on local
businesses and sample policies
(e.g. environmental policies,
car sharing agreements, energy
saving procedures etc);
• Facilitating two-way
communication with the Council
regarding its business related
initiatives on environmental
issues (to include transport
and travel plans);
• Raising awareness generally
on environmental issues within
the Canterbury district;
• Developing closer links to
other similar groups such as
the Kent Sustainable Business
Partnership (KSBP).
Currently the group is involved
with several projects with the city
council and is organising a series
of business and environmental
events for 2008.
www.canterbury4business.co.uk ≥
areas and information from on the
ground. The Local Economy Team
works closely with local business
groups to support local businesses.
Supporting knowledge-based
businesses - The council is also
a key player in a local strategy to
develop more knowledge-based
industries in the district. It supports
the Canterbury Enterprise Hub
(based at The University of Kent),
which works with highly innovative
and high growth potential start-ups
to increase their survival rates. It
is also working with the University
of Kent and South East England
Development Agency (SEEDA) to
develop the Canterbury Business
Innovation Centre (due 2009) at
the University of Kent’s Beverley
Farm site on its Canterbury campus.
Phase 1 of this project, will provide
incubator accommodation including
offices, workshops and laboratories
as well as on-site business support
for new science and technology
businesses from the Canterbury
Enterprise Hub. At the same time
the council has secured the
allocation of a 20 hectare science
and technology business park at
Little Barton Farm in Canterbury,
which will accommodate the growth
of the district’s knowledge-based
businesses together with attracting
new investment to the area.
Local Economy team
Canterbury City Council
Regeneration and Economic
Development Division
Military Road
Canterbury
CT1 1YW
Tel: 01227 862532
Email:
business@canterbury.gov.uk
www.business.canterbury.gov.uk
Picture courtesy of Kent County Council
Lakesview Enterprise Centre
Development Opportunities
Altira Business Park, Herne Bay
Kent developer, the Kitewood Group
has commenced building the Altira
Business Park, in Herne Bay. Altira
consists of 28 acres of commercial
land that will cater for small and
large industrial users and provide
flexible office space, all on a
freehold or leasehold basis.
There is a total of 500,000 sq ft
available, so Altira can accommodate
most business premises needs.
Kitewood has planning permission
for B1, B2 and B8 uses. Altira is
conveniently located for Kent based
business on the A299 at Herne Bay,
providing direct links to the M2 and
M25 motorways.
Altira provides Kent-based
businesses with:
• The most sustainable and
pleasant working environment
in Canterbury district;
• An attractively landscaped
environment and amenities, which
will make a positive impression
on customers and employees;
• A state of the art business
park that will provide occupiers
with options for the latest
eco-technology designs;
• Excellent transport links by bus,
rail, car and cycle and wide roads
with ample parking facilities;
• 30,000 sq ft of industrial and office
space which was made available
for occupation in spring 2008.
For more details contact the
Kitewood Group on 01622 670202.
district
focus 58
Estuary View is
an excellent location
for an existing
company or
organisation looking
to expand
Estuary View, Whitstable
Estuary View is located
approximately seven miles north
of Canterbury City on the outskirts
of Whitstable.
The site comprises three hectares
of land allocated solely for B1 office
development.
Planning permission has been
granted for almost 12,000 sq m
of new modern, high quality office
space and associated parking. The
development would comprise seven
two-storey blocks and one threestorey
office.
New occupiers will include the
Kent Messenger Group, which
is relocating its offices from
Canterbury. Estuary View is an
excellent location for an existing
company or organisation looking
to expand or to inward investors
considering office sites in Kent.
The business park is located on the
section of land falling between the
Old Thanet Way (A2990) and New
Thanet Way (A299) to the south of
Whitstable. It has immediate access
on to the new A299 Thanet Way,
which serves northeast Kent and
joins on Junction 7 of the M2/A2
motorway (4.8 miles) across north
Kent eventually meeting the
M25 orbital motorway. Ashford
International Station is only 18 miles
away with good road and rail links
to this important transport hub
with Europe.
For more information on
Estuary View, contact George
Wilson Developments Ltd on
01227 261 014.
≥ Canterbury City Council continued...