23.03.04
Green workshops open for business
Callington's new environmentally friendly workshops will
be celebrating their official opening on Thursday 25 March.
The unique scheme on the Moss Side Industrial Estate has
attracted national interest for its green elements and has
featured on Radio Four's You and Yours programme.
The workshops have received investment of £176,575
from the Objective One European Regional Development Fund
and £216,654 from Caradon. The development houses six
workshops and seven offices and is expected to create 17 jobs.
Councillor Ron Overd, Caradon's Cabinet member with the Supporting
the Rural Community and Economy portfolio, said: "We're
serious about helping local businesses to start up and grow
but not at the expense of our distinctive environment. The
new Moss Side units prove that the local economy and the environment
can exist in harmony, and the sustainable features in the
workshops make particularly good business sense as they will
cut energy costs substantially.”
Five of the workshops and four of the offices have already
been let. The scheme is currently home to:
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RJD Turnings - woodturning |
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Cornwall Heritage Toys - traditional wooden toy making |
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Fuel Cell Integration - research and development into
fuel cell technology applications |
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Tamar Composites - composite engineering |
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Create-Energy UK Ltd - research and development into
combined heat and power systems |
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Enercogen AS - servicing and maintenance of plant and
equipment used for combined heat and power systems |
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Community Transport Association - charity providing
information on accessible voluntary and community transport |
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Moorsys - computer systems consultancy |
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GSS - cleaning and support services |
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One Partnership,
said: "Cornwall is built on small businesses, so the
Objective One Programme is working on those conditions that
can maximise performance. Part of the strategy is to invest
in quality workspace. Objective One is playing a crucial role
in Caradon by doing this and enabling local businesses to
flourish and provide jobs and income for Cornwall today and
into the future.
"Moss Side Industrial Estate should be applauded for
its sustainable approach to providing workspace in harmony
with the environment. We are delighted to see the official
opening of the development and look forward to seeing businesses
booming within the site soon.”
The development includes an impressive range of green features
such as:
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An earth energy ducted air heating and cooling system
for the offices and similar systems for each workshop. The
system includes four 70m deep boreholes |
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A prototype wind-dam electricity generator unit that
will eventually provide some of the electricity for the site |
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Energy efficient lighting with movement and daylight
sensors |
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Sun-pipes and lantern lights to make the most of natural
daylight and create a more pleasant working environment |
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Carpets made from recycled materials |
The building also fully caters for the needs of disabled
workers. Both of the shared kitchens have electrically operated
height adjustable sinks and worktops so that they are in easy
reach of wheelchair users. Two of the scheme's toilets have
disabled provision, and six of the car parking spaces are
designed for disabled drivers. Cornish firm H20k designed
the environmental systems, while local contractor Minerva
(SW) Ltd constructed the buildings.
Caradon is the single biggest investor in small business
premises in the district and has been awarded Beacon Council
status for its work in Supporting the Rural Economy. The number
of council owned workshops, offices and industrial premises
has gone from zero to 147 in 14 years.
Caradon's chairman and Callington ward member, Councillor
Kathleen Pascoe, will officially open the Moss Side project
with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11.30 am on 25 March.
Editor's notes:
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
helps reduce the gap between development levels and living
standards among the regions and the extent to which least-favoured
regions are lagging behind. It also helps redress the main
regional imbalances in the Community by participating in the
development and structural adjustment of regions whose development
is lagging behind and the economic and social conversion of
regions.
Media enquiries contact:
Stephen Vinson
Deputy Head of Economic and Community Services
Telephone: 01579 341031
Jason Clark
Communications Adviser
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Tel: 01872 241379
Fax: 01872 241388
objectiveone@cornwall.gov.uk
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