Cheltenham simply must find available employment land if the town is not to miss out on growth and expansion opportunities, according to one of Gloucestershire’s leading business advisers.
Mark Hunt, partner in the Cheltenham office of national audit, tax and advisory firm Crowe Clark Whitehill, said the time for talking was over.
“I am concerned that there is a lack of opportunity for major businesses in the county, with the supply of employment land either critically low, particularly in the case of Cheltenham,” he said.
“If land is not identified, then we risk losing local businesses and companies looking to invest in Gloucestershire, to neighbouring counties that have made greater availability of employment land,” he cautioned.
His comments come just days after international company Spectrum Medical, which has offices in Staverton and Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, announced its interest in developing a new global headquarters on a new site just north of Staverton airport.
The business develops and manufactures medical equipment used in heart surgery and long term life support.
The company says the move would create 40 jobs initially and up to 100 in the medium term.
Mr Hunt said: “These are high technology jobs that Gloucestershire can ill afford to risk losing, and this case provides a good example of why we need to free up and pre-identify sites that businesses can target, with some confidence, for their expansion plans.”
Cheltenham Borough Council has launched a new economic strategy aimed at raising the town’s profile as a leading regional business hub.
“To do this, we must first ensure that we have employment land agreed and on tap so that when inquiries are received, we can be quick off the mark,” said Mr Hunt.
“I know the council and the chamber are aware of the issue, but it is essential that the ideal location of future employment land is identified as swiftly as possible,” he stressed.
Crowe Clark Whitehill has itself expanded in Cheltenham in the past 12 months, moving its global business solutions team into Festival House in the town. This has enabled the firm to continue expanding its operations at its existing Lypiatt Road offices and has resulted in the creation of 12 new jobs.
