24.09.04
Workshops have X appeal

Two Cornish workshop schemes in South East Cornwall have been held up as examples of good practice by Objective One.

Caradon District Council's Millbrook Business Park and Callington Business Park have both been highlighted in Objective One's X Factor files, which showcase good practice on environmental sustainability, equal opportunities and information communications technology.

Millbrook Business Park has been recognised for environmental sustainability, while Callington Business Park is a case study for equal opportunities.

Councillor John Yaxley, Caradon's cabinet member with the Supporting the Rural Community and Economy portfolio, said: "Improving local employment opportunities and safeguarding the environment are both key priorities for us. We believe that the two can go hand in hand and try to incorporate environmentally friendly and energy efficient elements in our council and business premises wherever possible. We also want to make sure that employment opportunities are genuinely open to everyone, and all of Caradon's workshop and office units include disabled access. The workshops at Callington take this concept further and include communal kitchens suitable for disabled tenants.”

The Millbrook case study concentrates on the business benefits of the green workshops, including energy efficiencies and water conservation measures that save money and increased competitiveness and marketing opportunities for the tenants of environmentally friendly premises.

Callington Business Park is also praised for its green features and has recently won the Green Award in the Michelmores and Western Morning News Commercial Property Awards. The Objective One case study concentrates on the scheme's equal opportunity aspects, such as facilities for disabled tenants that include ramped access, disabled parking and loos and kitchens with electrically operated height adjustable sinks and worktops. Tenants are also provided with information packs that include details of a free business skills and mentoring programme for women, a women returners' course, childcare and an overview of disability discrimination, equal pay, racial discrimination, self-employment for women, sex discrimination and trades union membership.

Mark Yeoman, Deputy Director of the Objective One Partnership, said: "Millbrook and Callington workshops have very quickly become not only byewords for good practice in the Programme but also raising the standards for other local developments – Callington's Green Awards confirm this status! Both developments are very welcome additions to our website project showcase for the environment and equal opportunities."

The Millbrook workshop scheme received £232,760 from the Objective One European Regional Development Fund with Caradon funding the remaining £349,140, while the Callington workshops received a £176,575 investment from the Objective One Programme and £216,654 from Caradon.

Editor's notes:

Photo opportunity:
Callington Business Park's Green Award is unveiled by Caradon's chairman, Councillor Kathleen Pascoe – 11.30am on Monday 27 September at Callington Business Park, Moss Side Industrial Estate, Callington.

Media enquiries contact:
Stephen Vinson, Deputy Head of Economic and Community Services, on 01579 341031 or Brian Wright, Architecture and Projects Manager, on 01579 341332

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF):
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.

Sue Wolstenholme
Objective One Communications
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01579 370991

lmroberts@cornwall.gov.uk

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