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'Digital village' to bring 1,500 jobs
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| A computer-generated image of how the new site will look |
A 21st century model village, with entrepreneurs' homes set above their new hi-tech digital businesses, is set to emerge in the Aire Valley.
More than 1,500 jobs will be created at the £25 million Bingley site just a few miles from where Sir Titus Salt built a whole community for hundreds of workers around his wool mill.
A year after plans were given the thumbs up by Bradford Council, developers have vowed that construction work on Bingley Technology Park will start in August this year.
The development is a vital piece of the jigsaw in the success of the Airedale Masterplan - set to transform Airedale into a world-leading centre for digital communications by 2020.
A key element of the development is the creation of "work/live" units which are designed to support employees or entrepreneurs who work from home.
There will be 32 such units, with ground-floor designated work space and living space upstairs.
These units, which will have up to three bedrooms, will cost around £250,000.
It is envisaged the site, which will take three or four years to build, will attract new businesses, helping to create around 1,500 new jobs.
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| Ged Powell, of ADI, who welcomed the move |
The three-hectare disused green-field site, off Keighley Road in Bingley, will incorporate a three-storey "hub", including meeting rooms and an internet café.
There will be further two to three-storey buildings with office headquarters.
Director of Bingley Technol-ogy Park Ltd, Stephen McManus, said: "We are planning to start the development in three months' time.
"With the transport links that it has, it is an ideal position for the site.
"It is surrounded by residential properties and is encouraging people to work from home with internet access.
"We think it is a great time to launch such a concept, which is popular in America, and there is no reason why it shouldn't happen over here.
"We have had some interest already. The work-live units could be used by a couple, where one person works from home, or by people who work flexible hours."
Developers have been in talks with neighbouring Advanced Digital Institute (ADI) - based at Cottingley Business Park - which is also listed as a priority scheme in Shipley to drive Airedale's economy.
Chief executive for ADI, Ged Powell, said: "This will be a massive asset for the area.
"It will attract lots of high-value companies, which will attract highly-skilled professionals to the area.
"As a company operating in the area, it gives us a rich pool of diverse companies to collaborate with."
Councillor Andrew Mallin-son, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, said: "I am extremely supportive of this because it is what is needed close to Bingley town centre in terms of creating employment.
"I think it will provide excellent opportunities for small businesses and new enterprises to have a home and business at the same place.
"It is about time that we became visionary.
"As an authority, we have 6,000 listed buildings and we are retaining our heritage, but buildings like this set Bradford up for the future. It is a huge investment, especially in the current economic climate."
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6:16am Monday 5th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: albion, west riding on 6:28am Mon 5 May 08
"Digital Village" or will it end up as the usual Virtual Village?
"Digital Village" or will it end up as the usual Virtual Village?
Posted by: goalkeeper, bradford on 6:55am Mon 5 May 08
[quote][bold]albion[/bold] wrote:
"Digital Village" or will it end up as the usual Virtual Village?[/quote] Well we'll know in 3 months..
albion wrote:
"Digital Village" or will it end up as the usual Virtual Village?
Well we'll know in 3 months..
Posted by: its a joke, Bradford on 10:42am Mon 5 May 08
Interesting idea and would be good to see it work... but shame it's on a greenfield site.
"It is about time that we became visionary." ....... Seems rather late for that revelation Councillor Mallinson, isn't that the whole idea of your organisation???
Interesting idea and would be good to see it work... but shame it's on a greenfield site.
"It is about time that we became visionary." ....... Seems rather late for that revelation Councillor Mallinson, isn't that the whole idea of your organisation???
Posted by: Woody, Manningham on 10:48am Mon 5 May 08
£250,000 each. Think I'll put my name down...
£250,000 each. Think I'll put my name down...
Posted by: spinnekop, Yorkshire on 1:28pm Mon 5 May 08
ooh, I'll have two !
Posted by: imran, Bradford on 7:56pm Mon 5 May 08
I've worked for many years in Silicon Valley and the digital industries here in the UK.
I can pretty much insure that this type of project will not yield the results that the planners are hoping for.
Dotcom entrepreneurs and technology startups aren't crying out for space - Yorkshire is loaded with it.
What they're looking for is business support, angel funding , seed funds, access to university collaboration and great urban hubs to live in.
£25m would be better spend in Bradford City centre transforming boarded up shops and derelict buildings into vibrant coworking spaces and desirable urban hubs for digital artisans, technologists and entrepreneurs.
ADI will not create another Google, nor will this digital village. However, emulating the relationships between MIT, venture capitalists and urban planners is a much better bet.
I'm afraid to say that the digital village will create 1500 jobs in the construction industry...and many fewer in the digital industries...
I've worked for many years in Silicon Valley and the digital industries here in the UK.
I can pretty much insure that this type of project will not yield the results that the planners are hoping for.
Dotcom entrepreneurs and technology startups aren't crying out for space - Yorkshire is loaded with it.
What they're looking for is business support, angel funding , seed funds, access to university collaboration and great urban hubs to live in.
£25m would be better spend in Bradford City centre transforming boarded up shops and derelict buildings into vibrant coworking spaces and desirable urban hubs for digital artisans, technologists and entrepreneurs.
ADI will not create another Google, nor will this digital village. However, emulating the relationships between MIT, venture capitalists and urban planners is a much better bet.
I'm afraid to say that the digital village will create 1500 jobs in the construction industry...and many fewer in the digital industries...
Posted by: Mr Sensible, Bingley on 9:25pm Mon 5 May 08
I fully agree that £25m would be better spent in the City Centre, pulling it down and as it is in a valley making a tip, they would not need any permission for this as it would not constitute a change of use.
I fully agree that £25m would be better spent in the City Centre, pulling it down and as it is in a valley making a tip, they would not need any permission for this as it would not constitute a change of use.
Posted by: Ross, Bradford on 9:34pm Mon 5 May 08
Councillor Andrew Mallinson, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, said: "It is about time that we became visionary."
Visionary? By copying (badly) the model for Saltaire?
What's visionary about that precisely?
Similar projects are currently lying empty around Yorkshire. Does that not suggest something?
It'll have an "Internet cafe" - 2001 called, they'd like their buzzword back.
"...encouraging people to work from home with internet access." - cause broadband access at home is such a rarity.
"...It will attract lots of high-value companies..." - I thought this was for entrepreneurs? They don't tend to have high-value companies from day one.
The only thing that the Aire Valley project will share in common with Silicon Valley is the second word in the name.
Councillor Andrew Mallinson, Bradford Council's executive member for regeneration, said: "It is about time that we became visionary."
Visionary? By copying (badly) the model for Saltaire?
What's visionary about that precisely?
Similar projects are currently lying empty around Yorkshire. Does that not suggest something?
It'll have an "Internet cafe" - 2001 called, they'd like their buzzword back.
"...encouraging people to work from home with internet access." - cause broadband access at home is such a rarity.
"...It will attract lots of high-value companies..." - I thought this was for entrepreneurs? They don't tend to have high-value companies from day one.
The only thing that the Aire Valley project will share in common with Silicon Valley is the second word in the name.
Posted by: Tracy Astles, Bingley on 10:06pm Mon 5 May 08
What about parking facilities, local residents have for years suffered due to Bingley Grammar Schools 6th form students and staff taking over their streets, something needs to be done before this project starts, and more vehicles turn up on our streets, if not more problems are going to be caused for the local residents, who are now becoming tired of the situation, councillors don't listen, after all they don't live here!!
What about parking facilities, local residents have for years suffered due to Bingley Grammar Schools 6th form students and staff taking over their streets, something needs to be done before this project starts, and more vehicles turn up on our streets, if not more problems are going to be caused for the local residents, who are now becoming tired of the situation, councillors don't listen, after all they don't live here!!
Posted by: x, Italy on 11:18pm Mon 5 May 08
I agree with Imran - Good jobs for the builders, but will it take off? I hope so.
Could someone identify EXACTLY this is going to be? I can only think of the car-boot spot. Anyone know exactly where this is? I can only see massive traffic problems in Bingley when this all kicks off.
I agree with Imran - Good jobs for the builders, but will it take off? I hope so.
Could someone identify EXACTLY this is going to be? I can only think of the car-boot spot. Anyone know exactly where this is? I can only see massive traffic problems in Bingley when this all kicks off.
Posted by: cityhall, bradford on 12:03am Tue 6 May 08
Quote from Cllr mallinson ' its about time we became visonary ...' er isnt that why we elected you ? How long have you guys been in power in Bradford ? 8 years or 8 minutes ?
Quote from Cllr mallinson ' its about time we became visonary ...' er isnt that why we elected you ? How long have you guys been in power in Bradford ? 8 years or 8 minutes ?
Posted by: albion, west riding on 6:18am Tue 6 May 08
[quote][bold]x[/bold] wrote:
I agree with Imran - Good jobs for the builders, but will it take off? I hope so. Could someone identify EXACTLY this is going to be? I can only think of the car-boot spot. Anyone know exactly where this is? I can only see massive traffic problems in Bingley when this all kicks off.[/quote] Thats about it.
x wrote:
I agree with Imran - Good jobs for the builders, but will it take off? I hope so. Could someone identify EXACTLY this is going to be? I can only think of the car-boot spot. Anyone know exactly where this is? I can only see massive traffic problems in Bingley when this all kicks off.
Thats about it.
Posted by: James, Bingley on 8:11am Tue 6 May 08
Excellent! Looks good, despite all the usual negative freaks!
Excellent! Looks good, despite all the usual negative freaks!
Posted by: Bagsy, Bingley on 4:10pm Tue 6 May 08
I only hope this new development has a dedicated slip road onto the bypass or traffic through Bingley town centre will be back to pre by-pass levels.
I only hope this new development has a dedicated slip road onto the bypass or traffic through Bingley town centre will be back to pre by-pass levels.
Posted by: albion, west riding on 4:15pm Tue 6 May 08
[quote][bold]Bagsy[/bold] wrote:
I only hope this new development has a dedicated slip road onto the bypass or traffic through Bingley town centre will be back to pre by-pass levels.[/quote] Exactly, and with all the new obstacles and on street parking it will probably be a lot worse.
Bagsy wrote:
I only hope this new development has a dedicated slip road onto the bypass or traffic through Bingley town centre will be back to pre by-pass levels.
Exactly, and with all the new obstacles and on street parking it will probably be a lot worse.
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