Fusion #3

issue 3 autumn 09

cumbria’s official regeneration magazine

◆ A new beginning ◆ Energy Coast: the future ◆ New developments ◆ Talking heads

fusioncumbria.com

Welcome to Cumbria Beauty, diversity and great opportunities make Cumbria the place to be. Energy, sustainable business, new skills and culture are all exiting aspects of the vibrant regeneration projects in Cumbria.

Britain’s Energy Coast™, Carlisle Renaissance, Eden and South Lakeland Employment Sites, the Port of Workington and The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness are just some of the multi-million pound schemes being developed in the county. And with work starting on the Carlisle Northern Development Route to improve transport links, unique Cumbria is the destination for now and the future.

fusioncumbria.com • cumbria.gov.uk

on Join us ney. r u o j r u o

Energus opens The grand opening in June of Energus, the new £20 million skills, training and education facility in Workington, by Ed Miliband, secretary of state for energy and climate change, illustrated the area’s commitment to Britain’s Energy Coast™ initiative. Energus is the first project under the initiative to be completed.

The new building has a 200-seat lecture hall, high-tech engineering workshops and cutting edge IT and audio visual services.

Over 200 people from the energy industries, education sector, local government and local community attended the opening where Miliband called Energus a “positive symbol of West Cumbria’s future”.

Built as the delivery arm of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear it also incorporates a Learning Gateway for the University of Cumbria, part of the Energy Coast Campus.

Workington MP Tony Cunningham said: “We need to inspire our young people and encourage them to aim high.

What better way of doing that than by providing a training facility that matches the best anywhere?”

update

with delivering projects which have been identified as having greatest potential to create jobs, stimulate private sector investment and raise the profile of the county.

The boards have been created by, and will operate under the strategic guidance of, Cumbria Vision, Cumbria

03 Update The latest

regeneration news, happenings and events from across the county.

08 Introduction After a

major strategic reshuffle we take a look at Cumbria’s regeneration agencies.

17 Energy

A look at how Cumbria is leading the way in renewable energy production.

22 Projects What are the main developments that are proposed and taking place in Cumbria?

36 Talking heads The leaders of Cumbria’s regeneration give us their thoughts.

39 Education The

importance of creating, and retaining, a skilled workforce.

43 Interview We

speak to the NDA’s Sellafield programme director Dr Ian Hudson.

46 Contact Who to

contact about regeneration in Cumbria.

Executive editor: Kirsty MacAulay Features editor: Alex Aspinall Art director: Terry Hawes Advertisement sales: Lee Harrison Production: Rachael Schofield Office manager: Sue Mapara Managing director: Toby Fox On behalf of: Cumbria County Council, www.cumbria.gov.uk Published by: Lower Ground Floor, 189 Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TB 020 7978 6840

New order Cumbria’s regeneration agencies have undergone a major shakeup to bring a more holistic approach to the delivery of economy-boosting projects.

Four regeneration delivery boards now cover Barrow, West Cumbria, Eden and South Lakeland, and Carlisle (Carlisle Renaissance). They are tasked

Contents

County Council, the HCA and NWDA. The shake-up is a direct attempt to improve the county’s capacity to deliver regeneration projects and achieve its 20-year vision to become one of the fastest growing UK economies.

Cumbria county councillor Tony Markley, cabinet member for economic development, said: “It

is imperative that the agencies involved in regeneration work together. We need one voice for Cumbria and we’ve got to deliver on our promises.” © 3Fox International Limited 2009. All material is ­strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written ­permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly ­forbidden.

The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at time of going to press, but we accept no ­responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this ­magazine are not ­necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or Cumbria County Council .

Subscriptions and feedback: www.fusioncumbria.com Printed by: Wyndeham Grange Images: Cumbria Photo – Dave Willis, Charlie Hedley, Gillespies, West Lakes Renaissance, Cumbria Vision, Sellafield, British Nuclear Group, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Newscast, E.ON UK, Corus, D&H Photographers, Steve Barber Front cover: Wind energy

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All change Cumbria takes centre stage Lord Peter Mandelson, secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, was the keynote speaker at the Cumbria Economic Summit in February.

The event, held at Sellafield Visitors Centre, showcased the progress that has been made in the past 12 months in the region and highlighted future plans to transform Cumbria and its economy. It also saw the launch of Cumbria’s revised economic strategy and sub-regional action plan.

Mandelson claimed the country was on the verge of a low carbon industrial revolution and that a shift to low-carbon technology and production would transform how we live and work, bringing huge economic opportunities. He mentioned the

importance of ensuring Britain has the energy infrastructure required to adapt to greater use of nuclear power and renewable energy, adding: “Cumbria has a powerful potential role to play through its energy supply and its industrial base, in realising that ambition.”

update

News in brief Job centre Furness Enterprise Partnership helped create 460 jobs last year.

In many areas the partnership has improved on last year, for example the number of jobs arising from organic growth by existing firms increased by 59% and the creation of 150 jobs by new businesses has increased by 32%. Furness Enterprise’s chief executive Harry Knowles said the agency had made a valuable contribution to the

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Cumbria County Council has a new environment director.

Marie Fallon joined the council in March taking responsibility for economic development, highways and transportation, and planning and sustainability.

Fallon moved from the London Borough of Enfield where she was interim director of place shaping and enterprise.

Before that she was director of regeneration at Newcastle City Council.

Fallon is anticipating great things, she said: “I am delighted to be working for Cumbria County Council and look forward to the challenge of matching Cumbria’s worldclass environment with world-class infrastructure and facilities. There has been a lot of organisational change in the directorate, our focus now is to really concentrate on service delivery and build on the county’s strengths and natural assets.”

regional economic strategy objective of creating jobs.

as physical regeneration.

Culture is the glue that binds communities together, gives a place identity and engenders pride in where we live.”

Cultural capital The leaders of Carlisle Renaissance have highlighted the development of the city’s cultural scene as being of central importance to Carlisle’s continued regeneration.

Bryan Gray, chair of Carlisle Renaissance, said: “I believe passionately that culture is as important to Carlisle

On the road Three million pounds of funding has been granted by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) for completion of the link road in Barrow-in-Furness.

The £200 million waterfront development, comprising homes, business and leisure space, will create a new

Funding friends

Above: NMP has donated £100,000 to the Whitehaven Maritime Festival, which attracts thousands of residents and visitors.

community and the road will link it to the town centre improving access to existing employment sites and easing traffic congestion.

The NWDA’s funding will allow work on phase two of the link road to start, completing the final section of the link road by the end of this year.

Home is where the heart is Cumbria has topped a poll as the county in England where local people most feel a sense of belonging. The National Place survey showed 69% of

West Cumbria is set to benefit from Nuclear Management Partners’ (NMP) five-year £20 million social-economic package for the area. NMP, an international consortium set up in 2007 comprising URS Washington Division, AMEC and AREVA, took over management of the Sellafield sites in November last year.

NMP has already donated £500,000 to the Cumbria Community Foundation and a donation of £100,000 to the local Whitehaven Festival. The recently announced five-year package will be co-ordinated with the area’s Energy Coast masterplan and used in partnership with funds from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Chairman of NMP Tom Zarges said: “NMP is determined to be an active partner in the development of the Energy Coast initiative and we want this funding to be used for what the community wants, not what we think it should have.”

Cumbrians feel they belong to their neighbourhood. It also topped the list of counties where older people believe they have the right support to allow them to live independently and also for the percentage of people who believe their local council and police understand their concerns on anti-social behaviour and crime issues.

New homes The Homes and Communities Agency is now up and running and looking at priorities for housing in Cumbria.

Feeling the love A campaign by Barrow Council’s Regeneration Publicity Team highlighting the passion local residents have for the town has captured the imagination of local lighting specialist Lumier. The company, which provides lighting for famous buildings and structures across the world, from the Burj al Arab hotel in Dubai to the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, is creating illuminated Love Barrow heart signs with low energy, hi-tech LED lights to mark Lumier’s tenth birthday.

The Love Barrow campaign has been running since 2007 when Cactus Creative came up with the pink, heart shaped logo to run on a building wrap in the town.

Valerie Holden at Barrow Council explains:

“We went through several options using corporate images of the town and then decided to do something different. The chief executive was thrilled with the logo and we decided to use it for a campaign.”

Local businesses are encouraged to use the logo through a programme devised by the council and many of them have taken up the offer, including BAE who ran a 20x30ft building wrap declaring Love Barrow (pictured above, insert). The campaign has been a runaway success – North West Evening Mail has printed three Love Barrow supplements and ran a photographic competition asking readers to submit images of their beloved town. The winning shot was of Furness Abbey. issue three

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update New nuclear facilities Sellafield is on the list of suitable sites for a new government backed nuclear power station alongside Kirkstanton and Braystones. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has land available adjacent to Sellafield which it is keen to use for the new station.

A decision on where in the country the power stations will be built is due to be published towards the end of the year. Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “We are building a new range of nuclear power stations. Sellafield has got a great history, it’s also got a great future.”

A new power station could bring up to 9,000 jobs and £2 billion to the region and wider economy. Jamie Reed, Copeland MP called the opportunity ‘momentous’ for the local community.

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introduction

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New beginnings Big changes are happening in Cumbria.

Juliet Shaw discovers how the restructure of the county’s regeneration delivery bodies is set to invigorate the region’s development A re-structuring of the

With a new strengthened structure of regeneration bodies in Cumbria, it is hoped that the two main sectors for the county, energy and destination, will receive maximum attention.

organisations which deliver Cumbria’s regeneration plans – including new delivery boards – marks the culmination of a new era of action to put the plans into place.

Three new delivery boards for West Cumbria, Barrow and Eden and South Lakeland, who will work together with the existing board for Carlisle – Carlisle Renaissance, were established following consultations on the county’s future.

All four delivery teams will work alongside Cumbria Vision, Cumbria County Council, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) to oversee the delivery of projects in their own areas, while ensuring that the priorities of the county as a whole are met.

When Cumbria Vision, the county’s subregional partnership for economic development, produced a revised economic strategy for Cumbria last year, it identified two main strategic priorities that would build on the strengths and resources already in place in the county. These were the opportunities of energy and the low-carbon economy; and raising the attractiveness of Cumbria as a place to live, invest in, work and visit.

Its Cumbria Sub-Regional Action Plan (SRAP) sets out how the priorities and projects in this strategy should be put into action.

At the same time, Cumbria County Council examined the existing delivery arrangements and whether they would be sufficient to put the strategy into practice. This review recommended that the four delivery boards should be established to oversee activities in different

parts of the county.

Roger Liddle, chairman of Cumbria Vision, says: “The four delivery boards in Cumbria will ensure that the capacity will be available to deliver the key transformational projects listed in the SRAP. For the first time, Cumbria has produced a plan which recognises all available investors, including the private sector.”

Marie Fallon, the director of environment at Cumbria County Council, is all too aware of the need for action from the new boards.

“We need to move from where we were,” she admits. “It’s very important that the new boards can deliver and there’s a much sharper focus on delivery and outcomes, and what we can do collectively as organisations to make things happen.

“We’ve tried to be much clearer about what our requirements and priorities are, and that they will continue to be worked through over the next year.”

She continues: “There’s a recognition that we had a lot of work happening but it wasn’t as coordinated and focused as it needed to be, so our efforts have been to rationalise the partnerships, look at the programmes being delivered within each region and ensure they’re supporting the key economic aspirations of the county: energy and destination.”

The two boards for West Cumbria and Barrow will divide the area previously covered

by West Lakes Renaissance. These two areas already have close links in terms of the recently branded Britain’s Energy CoastTM initiative. West Cumbria is known for its nuclear industry and Barrow has long-established links with

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introduction

Below: The regeneration agencies involved in Cumbria’s renaissance are working together to ensure the county achieves its goals.

offshore energy providers and is home to BAE Systems, which is licensed to produce modules for nuclear power plants.

Brian Wilson, a former government energy minister, has been appointed chairman for the West Cumbria delivery board, with Stuart Cowperthwaite, former director of the Cumbria office of energy and regeneration consultants White Young Green, in place as programme director.

In Barrow, Murray Easton, the former managing director for BAE Systems, will chair the new delivery board, while Bob Pointing takes up the post of programme director following six years as chief executive of West Lakes Renaissance.

Wilson says: “What strikes me as unusual and very exciting about the West Cumbria team is the breadth of powers and areas of involvement.

“There has to be early evidence that we are going to make a difference – and there has to be a range of powers and the breadth of support that makes it possible to set strategic priorities and not just a bit here and a bit there. Obviously the delivery of the Energy Coast is turning that into a reality. If you’re going to get the skills and jobs into the area, you have to have a good socioeconomic environment, and the Energy Coast initiative will deliver that.

“There’s a high level of expectation and, to have the delivery team at West Cumbria overseeing this with such an extensive remit is a huge achievement in its own right.

“There is acute awareness that there needs to be some early hits, so the last thing we’ll be doing is going back to square one. Our priority is to make sure people see things happening, and certainly within the next 12 months see that we are making a difference.”

Despite the areas covered in the Energy Coast initiative being shared between the two boards, Wilson insists that the delivery of the plan, together with the vision for Cumbria, will remain the focus of both.

“There has to be co-operation and coordination. This is particularly true on the Energy Coast,” he says. “Barrow has a big part to play. There are so many complementary skills and areas of expertise on the whole of the coast 10

and we need to play to our strengths – there are not many places in the world you can go to with such a concentration of expertise. We have a tremendous asset to promote, and we are promoting it nationally and internationally.”

Pointing agrees. “Barrow is an important part of the Energy Coast, and Barrow itself is very strong in energy – with BAE systems licensed to build modules for nuclear power stations, oil exploration and wind farms just off Walney, Morecambe Bay gas processing, the potential for biomass and the proposal for a new power station using biofuel.”

In terms of other priorities, the development of the Waterfront Barrow-inFurness is well under way. The masterplan includes a marina village consisting of 650 homes and a marina with 350 berths, which is well advanced in terms of design and procurement.

The first phase of the 27-hectare business park included in the Waterfront development has been completed, with work on the Ramsden Business Park infrastructure finished. The site is now available for developers to build on and is being actively marketed.

Cumbria Vision Strategic Level

delivery level

“There are three strands to our programme that we’re focusing on,” says Pointing. “Creating the infrastructure with the waterfront scheme and town centre regeneration; creating the education structure we need through supporting the further education and higher education offer – the University of Cumbria is establishing itself at Furness College to offer a combined further education and higher education campus that will be awarding more degrees and supporting the academy proposals; and making sure we have the enterprise culture here which hasn’t been strong in the past as, historically, we’ve relied too much on the shipyard.”

Carlisle Renaissance, chaired by Bryan Gray and led by programme director Ian McNichol, has been in place since 2005. Set up in response to the floods which devastated Carlisle, the board has developed a programme in line with the vision for Cumbria as part of its overall programme of work.

The four immediate priorities for the Carlisle board are: supporting the expansion of higher education in Carlisle by developing Caldew Riverside as the new city-centre headquarters and campus for the University of Cumbria; establishing the Historic Quarter as a

Cumbria County Council

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NWDA

HCA

Eden and Carlisle Barrow West South Renaissance Regeneration Cumbria Lakeland Vision Delivery Board

Above: Artist’s impression of Barrow Marina Village, just one of the major developments set to transform Cumbria.

is acute awareness that there need to be “ There some early hits, so the last thing we’ll be doing is going back to square one ”

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introduction

“ We want to move on from strategy and see a real difference on the ground ” signature tourism destination; strengthening the competitive position of Carlisle’s city centre as a location for retail, leisure, cultural and commercial activities; and maximising the economic benefits of the M6 corridor through Carlisle and its strategic location for business.

But, as Ian McNichol explains, these are just elements of the overall plan to regenerate the capital city.

“We have prioritised the things that we believe will transform Carlisle’s economy, not just physical developments but cultural ones too. And, health, community safety and the ability of children and young people to engage and prosper are equally as important in making Carlisle successful,” he says.

A board for Eden and South Lakeland has been established and its new programme director will join shortly. There is considerable determination and commitment from the 14-strong delivery board, led by interim chair Mandy Dixon, which has been moving at a great pace since its inception. This single decisionmaking body for all regeneration activity across a largely rural area encompasses the main urban centres Kendal, Penrith, Windermere and Ulverston, and much of the Lake District National Park.

The board is intended to champion and develop the area’s distinctiveness and ability to contribute in a significant way to the county and regional economy. It will take a creative and strategic approach to the delivery of projects in the SRAP. These include the Windermere Waterfront Programme; Penrith New Squares; the K Village/Kendal Riverside development; the Lowther Castle and Gardens projects; and Kendal Canal Head; and working with partners to support an international tourism marketing campaign for ‘Destination Cumbria’.

The board will also seek to create and maintain sustainable, thriving local communities. To this end, it will examine issues such as rural remoteness, accessibility, communications, housing and infrastructure.

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Key to this will be assuming responsibility for prioritising and delivering regeneration initiatives which aim to address these particular economic matters.

These initiatives include: extending the Eden Business Park; establishing the Eden Skills Centre to provide vocational training in Penrith, Alston, Appleby and Kirkby Stephen; the creation of employment sites and improving the public realm in Kendal, Ulverston and the Lake District National Park; plus the development of an academy for the development of business improvement districts (BIDS) across Cumbria.

Mandy Dixon, who will hold the post of interim chair for a six-month period, says: “This is a crucial and exciting time to bring together key private and public sector partners willing to work together in a creative and strategic joinedup way to deliver a framework for sustainable development in Eden and South Lakeland.

“We want to move on from strategy and see a real difference on the ground.

“In a time of recession and a reduced public purse, it is a real challenge to maintain a ‘can do, but may need to do it differently’ approach to deliver the opportunities that communities in rural Cumbria have a right to expect.”

Supporting all of the boards is Invest in Cumbria, which is charged with attracting new investment into the county. John Grainger is its managing director. “Invest in Cumbria has an important role to play in the new structure,” he says. “Our remit is to attract investment . We’re looking at all the sectors in Cumbria to attract new investment in challenging conditions, but with a strong energy investment. Cumbria is well located in terms of natural resources to house the development going forward.”

So, after the raft of studies, reports and revisions, there is evidence of action and the vision for Cumbria – to be an energised and healthy environment, and one of the fastest growing economies in the UK – is now very much a reality. ❍

“ There’s more

access to skills now than ever before. I’m glad I’m staying in Whitehaven, and not being forced to leave ”

Cumbria going forward ■ Cumbria vision The county’s subregional partnership for economic development Cumbria Vision has masterminded the restructure of the county’s regeneration bodies.

■ Cumbria county council A key regeneration driver for the county accountable for the West Cumbria, Barrow and Eden and South Lakeland boards.

■ NWDA The Northwest Regional Development Agency is a government body to drive economic development and regeneration in the north west.

■ HCA The Homes and Communities Agency is a national agency for housing and regeneration.

■ West Cumbria vision Set up primarily to oversee the successful delivery of the Energy Coast initiative.

■ Barrow Regeneration This is the decision making body for all regeneration in Barrow.

■ Eden and South Lakeland This board will oversee the regeneration of rural areas in Cumbria including the Lake District National Park.

■ Carlisle Renaissance Developing higher education, the Historic Quarter as a tourist destination, maximising the benefits of proximity to the M6 and strengthening the city’s retail, leisure, cultural and commercial activities.

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Cumbria is open for business...

Through our work with some of the region's key stakeholders, we are proud to have played our part in the Cumbria success story to date.

The region, boasting Britain's Energy CoastTM , is recognised nationally for the key role it is set to play in the UK's Low Carbon Transition Plan. This is presenting exciting new challenges and opportunities for local businesses and organisations, as well as for companies from around the world who are keen to play their part.

The benefits are clear - for landowners, developers and contractors from across the nuclear and renewable energy supply chains, for education institutions like the University of Cumbria who will provide the necessary skills training, and for those involved in the delivery of associated infrastructure.

As one of the UK's leading independent law firms, with nationally recognised energy, infrastructure and education practices, Martineau is well placed to help the region turn its unique vision into reality.

Advising public and private sector clients alike, we combine technical legal "know how" with practical advice and innovative solutions.

Talk to one of our experts now and find out how we can make a difference.

Andrew Whitehead, Partner & Head of Energy T: 0870 763 1528 E: andrew.whitehead@martineau-uk.com

www.martineau-uk.com

Clive Read, Partner & Head of Cumbria Team T: 0870 763 1439 E: clive.read@martineau-uk.com

ACTING LOCALLY, THINKING GLOBALLY The pressing issues of climate change and energy security present Britain with tough challenges but also huge economic opportunities.

In West Cumbria and Furness, we are harnessing the power of the environment and the strength of our world-renowned skills to build a green future for the nation and a more prosperous economy for Cumbrian businesses and communities.

Britain’s Energy Coast™ has potential to provide approximately 25 per cent of the country’s energy needs through a vibrant mix of nuclear, off-shore wind, tidal, wave and biomass. To achieve this, £2 billion worth of investment will take place over the next 20 years; helping new and existing businesses grow while ensuring local people and the brightest brains across the world secure the 16,000 jobs which could be created.

Britain faces unprecedented but exciting times – by acting locally and thinking globally Britain’s Energy Coast™ is taking a lead.

Energy Industries

Health

A new nuclear power station adjacent to Sellafield producing electricity by 2025; the development of renewable energy, spanning off-shore wind, wave, tidal and biomass; anaerobic digestion, energy from household waste and microgeneration

The £100 million redevelopment of West Cumberland Hospital and creation of a thriving health cluster

Skills, Research and Development Creating cutting-edge facilities needed to support and grow a world-class workforce in energy. Includes, Energus, University of Cumbria, Dalton Cumbria Facility, National Nuclear Laboratory and UCLan@Westlakes

Enterprise and Inward Investment Providing support to high growth companies, inward investors and assisting with public sector relations; Commercialisation, enterprise and business support

Key Development Sites Providing and developing major sites for business, commercial and residential uses. Includes The Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness, Pow Beck Valley, Derwent Forest, Lillyhall Business Park, Westlakes Science and Technology Park

Education Helping young people achieve their full potential with the Building Schools for the Future programme and the creation of new specialist academies

Sustainable Communities An £80 million Housing Market Renewal programme; town centre regeneration and £50 million for improved cultural, sporting and leisure facilities; initiatives to attract and retain young people and support for rural communities

Transport Significant improvement to road, rail, air and sea links, with projects including the Port of Workington, A595 and the Cumbrian Coast Line

Destination Management Raising the attractiveness of West Cumbria and Furness as a place to live, invest, work and visit

If you require further information please contact Margaret Clayton – Head of Programme Office on 01946 693241 or margaret@westlakesrenaissance.co.uk

For more information on Britain’s Energy Coast™ visit

www.britainsenergycoast.com

energy coast

Ambitions to become Britain’s Energy Coast means West Cumbria and Furness are stepping up their game. Juliet Shaw discovers the latest plans TM

Brimming with energy

M

ention Cumbria’s energy industries and many will think of nuclear power. Yet the area is setting its sights on becoming a national leader in low carbon and renewable energy production, drawing on sources from the wind farms to sea tides and farm waste to transform its economy.

When Lord Mandelson, secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, declared that Cumbria had a powerful role to play in tackling climate change and securing a low-carbon future, he was making explicit the government’s ambitions for the county to become an ‘eco-hub’ for the UK. Speaking at the Cumbria Economic Summit early this year, Mandelson threw his weight behind West Cumbria and Furness becoming

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energy coast

Previous page: Lord Peter Mandelson speaking at the Cumbria Economic Summit.

Above: Cumbria, and Sellafield, have a long history of energy production.

Britain’s Energy CoastTM, acknowledging that Cumbria’s economic strategy is leading the country in both nuclear and renewable energy.

“The shift to low-carbon technologies and production will transform how we live and work,” he said. “Inevitably, civil nuclear power is at the heart of this picture. But your focus isn’t just nuclear… the concept of an ‘Energy Coast’ is more than just a metaphor.”

The Energy Coast vision makes it clear that, if the area is to make the most of the £300 billion global nuclear decommissioning programme and transform its economy, it needs to use its unique combination of skills, location and natural resources to become a leader in renewable energy provision in the UK. “Historically, Cumbria has a strong presence in the energy sector,” says Stuart Cowperthwaite, programme director for the West Cumbria delivery team. “There are significant levels of skills in the area that will be required by the nuclear industry in terms of decommissioning, and there are many skills which are transferable within the energy sector.

“Nuclear new build is where we’re placing a lot of our attention at the moment but wind energy is taking off and will have a significant effect on the economy. Other potential forms of renewable energy, such as tidal turbines, biomass and anaerobic digestion, are in the early

Britain’s Energy Coast ™ the nine areas

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Energy industries

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A significant level of employment and investment around nuclear skills arising from nuclear decommissioning (56% of UK total), new nuclear generation and renewables. ◆Milestones: 2009 - Three nuclear new build sites named in West Cumbria Autumn 2009 - The Department of Energy and Climate Change publishing draft list of sites and national nuclear policy statement (NNPS), followed by public consultation 2010 - target of 10% electricity from renewable sources

stages of development. It is becoming clear we are facing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a robust and sustainable local economy while tackling the pressing challenges of climate change and energy security.”

Launched in 2008 the Energy Coast concept was developed by the partners of the West Cumbria Strategic Forum, including representatives from the nuclear industries, trade unions, councils and business groups across the region.

Historically, the economic focus along Cumbria’s west coast has been on nuclear power, manufacturing and shipbuilding. A higher than average proportion of its population work in manufacturing, and research and development.

It was realised that if action wasn’t taken to halt the exodus of young people not attracted by these industries – West Cumbria’s population declined by 2.8% between 1991 and 2001, a disproportionate 30% of them young people – the area’s economy would decline to the tune of £400 million by 2027. There was a danger that skills, technology and investment into nuclear and related businesses would be lost to countries such as the US and France.

The Energy Coast concept sets out how existing nuclear sector expertise can be used as a springboard for regeneration and establish the area as a major energy production hub.

Skills, research & development Through a cluster of internationally significant facilities, deliver a sustainable capability in nuclear and renewable energy advancement through further and higher education. ◆Milestones: April 2009 - Serco, Battelle and University of Manchester chosen to run the National Nuclear Laboratory April 2009 - Energus opens and NDA apprentices start Sept 2009 - University of Cumbria takes first students in engineering-related disciplines 2009-10 - Development of UCLan and Dalton Institute facilities

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This is intended to diversify the local economy and significantly improve the economic and social prospects of local people by stimulating investment in everything from transport, education, access to health services and investment in cultural, leisure and sports facilities.

And, as Sir Martin Holdgate, chair of the Cumbria Renewables panel, which identifies opportunities for renewable energy in Cumbria notes, the Energy Coast initiative focuses not only on industry.

“The energy we’re talking about needs to include social energy and human energy, to enable us to regenerate the western fringes of Cumbria into a thriving series of communities in a beautiful environment,” he says.

To this end, more than £2 billion of public and private sector funds is set to be invested across Cumbria’s west coast over the next 20 years, channelled into nine areas (see box below). It will support the growth of the energy industries, as well as the construction of homes, hospitals and schools, creating up to 16,000 jobs.

Says Cowperthwaite: “Clearly, employment is going to decline with the completion of decommissioning, but we hope potential new build will more than compensate for that.

“Developing the skills in construction

Enterprise and investment Make the most of intellectual property through: better support for procurement and enterprise; inward investment opportunities; and the provision of premises and technology. ◆Milestones: 2009 - Enterprise strategy developed

3

£$

Key developments

4

Provision of a high-quality business environment supporting research and development technology and skills. ◆Milestones: 2009-10 - Albion Square Office development in Whitehaven town centre; Marchon zone scheme development; James Fisher Nuclear Rig Hall development; Construction of Maryport Business Centre development

that will allow local people to take up the opportunities it presents is key, and we’re very conscious of the need to bring schools and colleges into the process at two levels – one to make youngsters aware of the opportunities so we can inform them in their career choices, and the other to work with schools and colleges directly to develop their curriculums.”

“Energus is the key physical embodiment of our investment into skills,” says Cowperthwaite.

“The University of Cumbria has a presence at Lillyhall, and the University of Central Lancashire has taken a building in Westlakes Science and Technology Park.

“The University of Manchester will also be undertaking a new development as part of the Dalton Institute, the university’s nuclear-related research arm.”

Investment in health will complement the skills and research aspect of the Energy Coast.

The government has allocated £100 million for a new hospital at the West Cumberland Hospital site and £80 million for the local Community Ventures programme. This will bring the potential for developments in nuclear medicine, involving the hospital trust, higher education institutions, the National Nuclear Laboratory, nuclear companies and local businesses.

Sir Martin Holdgate and the Cumbria Renewables panel are identifying areas for

Education

Health

5

6

Primary, secondary and academy education. ◆Milestones: March 2009 - Cumbria County Council given go-ahead to start work on Building Schools for the Future project. Document complete by April 2010

renewable energy provision in West Cumbria.

“The main work at the moment is on wind energy. There are massive allocations for this in the Irish Sea, both in the Solway area and off the coast of Barrow,” he says. “They will be bigger and further out to sea than the current wind farm off Walney. This is a significant area of interest at the moment.”

Wave technology and tidal turbines are also being discussed. “There is a lot of energy out there – the question is: how to tap it?” says Holdgate.

“The surface of the sea is probably the most hostile environment you can imagine. The same applies to the seabed – technological advances in barrages that can be located on the seabed are gaining all the time.”

The idea of a transport bridge across Morecambe Bay has been mooted in many guises over the past two decades. More recent discussions have centred on a 30km bridge with the main function being supporting tidal bay turbines, and the improved transport links as an added advantage.

“The enhanced road and rail link would provide positive social potential, and renewable energy could be seen as a bonus,” says Holdgate.

“But Solway and Morecambe Bay are internationally important for wintering wading birds and wildfowl and are protected

A major overhaul of the acute services hospital, research and development and a ‘health village’ to provide primary care services. Development of new community hospitals in Cockermouth and Millom. ◆Milestones: 2009 - West Cumberland Hospital appoint Procure21 development partner.

ExpressLIFT partner appointed for Community Ventures programme

•

Sustainable communities Providing homes, cultural, sports and leisure facilities for existing and future communities. ◆Milestones: 2009-2010 - Housing market renewal programme; Whitehaven town centre; West Allerdale regeneration; Maryport Townscape Heritage Initiative

7

“ The energy we’re

talking about needs to include social and human energy to enable us to regenerate Cumbria ”

Transport

8

West Cumbria has good access to ports and air terminals, and road and rail provision has and will be improved. ◆Milestones: May 2009 - Stobart Group acquires Carlisle Airport and starts work to develop business and tourism links July 2009 - Carlisle Northern Development Route (CNDR) approved and will provide key transport links between M6 and West Cumbria 2009-10 - Continued developments at Workington Port following the 10-year investment plan

Destination management High-quality and affordable homes stock provides a base for inward investors, with highquality tourism and outdoor facilities to attract people from all sections of society. ◆Milestones: To be developed as part of West Cumbria Tourism Development, led by Cumbria Tourism

9

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energy coast

The development of renewable “ energy activity in Cumbria will become a shop window for Cumbria and nationally ”

by law, so there are no firm plans in place just yet.”

Onshore, there is around 100mW of wind turbine capacity in Cumbria, mainly within the Energy Coast, coming from 17 wind farms with a total of 103 turbines. Another dozen turbines are under consideration.

“We’ve got to be sensible about where we put the onshore wind farms,” says Holdgate. “The ones that have attracted powerful opposition are those which would have been placed where they shouldn’t. There is huge potential to develop this form of renewable energy in Cumbria.”

Another form of renewable energy being considered in the area is biomass – the use of plant matter. Around 30,000 tonnes of wood each year can be sourced from woodlands in Cumbria, and a further 160,000 tonnes of wood could be diverted from landfill. Enabling rural businesses and residents to generate their own energy.

A community in the Eskdale Valley, which has been using wood from nearby Miterdale Forest, is leading the way. St Bega’s primary school has a 35kW log-burning system that saves around 12 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year, and Eskdale Youth Hostel has a 55kW woodchip boiler and heating system which is

20

set to save around 50 tonnes of CO2 emissions in its first year. Funding is being sought for a community heating scheme for a small group of properties in Eskdale Green.

The swathes of farm land across Cumbria mean the creation of energy from slurry through anaerobic digestion is a real possibility. Here, waste is composted in the absence of oxygen to produce a gas that can be used to generate electricity and heat. Community Renewable Energy Northwest is drawing up plans for a plant near Silloth. With 114,000 cows on the Solway plain alone, it has very real potential for development.

“There are a number of renewable options, and we’re interested in all of them,” says Holdgate. “I would like to see Cumbria as an exporter of renewable energy, not just a user. We could become a green county in more ways than one – we want to be a beacon in maintaining wonderful scenery, a prosperous economy, and to be known for our manufacturing industry as well as our service industry. The development of renewable energy activity in West Cumbria will become a shop window for Cumbria and nationally.”

Mandelson agrees. “Cumbria is a place of extraordinary beauty with enormous potential for the future,” he says. ❍

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projects

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issue three 23

•

The remodelling of Cumbria’s regeneration agencies heralds a new dawn for the county. Big things are planned across the county, from major infrastructure upgrades to nuclear new build, residential schemes, new business parks, waterfront development and upgrades to areas within the Lake District National Park

The shape of things to come

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projects

Carlisle’s M6 Corridor Carlisle may not have lived up to its title as Cumbria’s capital city in recent times. But things are set to change. The publication of Carlisle Renaissance’s Action Plan 2009-2012 lays out what the city needs over the coming years to ensure it can realise its potential.

Carlisle is now a designated housing growth point which could lead to a 20% increase in the population over the next 20 years.

Chris Pearson, development manager for Carlisle Renaissance, says: “This level of growth has not been achieved in Carlisle since the immediate post war period. Carlisle will need to find space to accommodate over 10,000 new jobs if it is to sustain this growth.

Some of this will be along the motorway corridor, some will be in the city centre and some will be linked to the Carlisle Northern Development Route in the west of the city.”

July 2009 saw the publication of a report examining the potential of the M6 corridor for further investment. The motorway has traditionally played a large role in the city’s development, there has been considerable growth around Junction 44 in recent years, and Pearson wants public and private sector partners to work together to determine the next steps: “Our work on Carlisle’s economic strategy helped to identify potential growth sectors for Carlisle and we want to expand this to look at the wider city-region. We need a joined-up approach along the motorway corridor throughout Cumbria and into south west Scotland.”

It is hoped the success of employment-led development at Junction 44 could be extended along the motorway. Junction 42 is currently underdeveloped and seen by some as a potential location for a new strategic investment site. Ian McNichol, director of Carlisle Renaissance comments: “We need to constantly improve the quality, choice and availability of employment land in Carlisle to maintain our competitive position and respond to the needs of investors. There are opportunities to reclaim, reconfigure and improve access to sites on some of the older estates close to Juncion 43. Carlisle City Council and the Northwest Regional Development Agency are actively pursuing this with our support.” www.carlislerenaissance.co.uk

Barrow Waterfront Business Park Barrow’s waterfront is to be transformed over the coming years, with a series of developments creating a new and vibrant. Part of this area will become the central business hub of the town, through the creation of the Waterfront Business Park Barrow.

The development, which is located less than a mile from the town centre, is expected to create around 1,500 new jobs when complete. It will be delivered in three phases which include land reclamation and preparation works, infrastructural improvements and building works.

Stage one reclamation and land preparation works, which will eventually see the creation of the Ramsden Business Park, is complete and a developer is currently being sought to progress with the creation of the work spaces.

This is an important scheme for the town, which further drives the regeneration of Barrow. Dick Cuckson, development manager at Cumbria County Council, says: “Barrow has seen a good level of activity over the last decade and following success around the former iron works, which has included offices, managed workspace, workshops and factories, the waterfront was identified as an ideal location for a business park development.” www.cumbria.gov.uk

• issue three

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projects

Nuclear new build

Barrow Marina Village Plans to further develop this waterfront area of the town focus on the creation of a new £120 million dockland development by Story Homes.

Centred around a 350-berth marina (with servicing area and access via canal link to the port), Marina Village - a new 36-hectare mixed-use waterfront community - will deliver a wide variety of residential, business, and leisure-based opportunities to Barrow.

Initial plans for the Marina Village include shops, restaurants, an athletics area and a children’s playground, as well as around 650 homes, pedestrian- and cycle-friendly roads, and vastly improved areas of public realm plus a wetland centre. The centrepiece of the development will be Marina Square, located on the waterfront, providing the backdrop for hotels, bars and restaurants.

Barrow Regeneration and Barrow Borough Council are currently working with Carlislebased Story Group, as well as Northwest Regional Development Agency and the Homes and Community Agency on a business plan for the development.

Peter Thompson, senior development manager for Barrow’s delivery team, says: “I am delighted to be working with Story on this next crucial stage of the development and onward to realisation of the vision for Marina Village - a flagship scheme fundamental to the regeneration of Barrow-inFurness.” www.westlakesrenaissance.co.uk

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Cumbria, and specifically Sellafield, is well known for its nuclear expertise but it could gain further recognition if plans to develop the Sellafield site get the go ahead. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is seeking site nominations for the creation of the next generation of nuclear power stations, and Cumbria is putting the Sellafield site forward for consideration. The nomination was prepared by the Nuclear New Build Nomination Team led by West Cumbria’s delivery board.

The energy sector has been highlighted through Britain’s Energy Coast, as one of the main avenues through which Cumbria’s regeneration can be achieved. Proposals to further develop the Sellafield site are in line with plans expressed in the county’s Energy Coast initiative. (see pg 17 for further details) The development of a new reactor in Cumbria would create new, permanent skilled jobs, attract a huge level of inward investment, and safeguard the county’s relevance in the highly profitable global energy sector. The government’s decision is due early next year.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has already invited expressions of interest from potential bidders for the 250-hectare site to the north of Sellafield, which has been nominated as a potential site for the nuclear new build.

Energy opportunities director for West Cumbria’s delivery team, Rosie Mathisen, comments: “If we are to supply electricity to the National Grid by 2025 we need to address a large number of issues, in particular securing an improved grid connection and ensuring the site has the right infrastructure links. Obviously the new owner would have a key role to play in addressing these challenges so it is important we have them on board as soon as possible.” www.britainsenergycoast.com

Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Limited Building the Future From humble beginnings as a joiner, cabinet maker and wheelwright based in Cockermouth, Cumbria. Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Limited has grown into a major contractor for the construction of building and civil engineering projects in the north of England and Scotland.

Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd enthusiastically works in collaboration with local authorities, social landlords and local educators to deliver training and regeneration programmes to provide realistic, sustainable training and employment initiatives throughout the county.

Energus We have worked on a number of regeneration projects throughout Cumbria, such as Workington Town Centre regeneration, numerous tourist attractions throughout the area, assistance of the creative community, affordable/eco housing projects throughout the county, and we recently completed the construction of Energus in West Cumbria.

We have established a number of partnerships with housing associations locally to assist with improvements to social accommodation throughout West Cumbria and improve the community environment. We endeavour to use local companies for our supplies as we feel it is important to assist the local economy.

Workington Town Centre

As environmental issues are very important, we work hard to reduce our carbon footprint by using eco friendly products such as sustainable timber, energy saving electrical installations, grey water systems and recycled stone.

Tel No: 01900 68211 Fax No: 01900 602672

Website: www.thomasarmstrong.co.uk

projects

Derwent Forest The huge 424-hectare former Ministry of Defence (MoD) armament storage facility near Great Broughton is among the largest brownfield sites in England. When Allerdale Borough Council bought the land from the MoD for £1 its future was secured and the site now represents huge potential for the area.

The site offers a blank canvas for developers as the council will decide what kind of mixed-use combination they want to pursue after concepts have been presented. The scale of the project means selecting the right development is vital, as Allan Haile, head of economic development at Cumbria County Council, explains: “It’s a unique site, and because it is so large there is huge potential for development on the site,” he says. “We have to get the decision right to be able to maximise potential. As we have a blank canvas, we will be able to take the best of what is on offer.”

It is anticipated the project will go out to OJEU by late autumn 2009. www.cumbria.gov.uk

Port of Workington A 10-year masterplan to make the Port of Workington a key gateway to the Energy Coast is in place and upgrading the port’s ageing infrastructure is currently top priority.

Investment in the infrastructure includes reconstruction of dock berths, refurbishment of dock gates and harbour cranes, expansion of the container park and new plant procurements.

The port is also working on developing closer business relationships with existing customers, extending the services

28

traditionally provided and boosting rail freight. Colin Sharpe, business development manager, explains: “Adding value to existing services for customers is partly about offering them more choice. We are striving to give them that flexibility by developing the port into a transport hub, with rail, road and sea all working together in a complementary manner.” www.portofworkington.co.uk

Carlisle Northern Development Route

Penrith New Squares

At just over five miles long, the Carlisle Northern Development Route (CNDR) will bring a major boost to Cumbria’s economic regeneration, dramatically easing congestion and lessening journey times in and around Carlisle.

Aiding businesses and employment in the area, the road will also improve transport links between West Cumbria, Scotland and the North East of England.

The £176 million scheme was made possible following the approval of a £158 million private finance initiative

funding by the Department of Transport.

Construction is due to start at the end of October and is being undertaken by Connect CNDR, who will also take on maintenance responsibility for 92 miles of existing roads in Cumbria. The new road will see the creation of three new bridges, including one crossing the River Eden, and cycle routes along the full length of the road. www.cumbria.gov.uk

The proposed Penrith New Squares mixed-use development will revitalise Penrith as a retail centre and act as a catalyst for the regeneration of the town.

Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) funding of £1 million kickstarted construction of the new football stadium, which is now complete, enabling the relocation of Penrith AFC and releasing land for the New Squares scheme.

Phased development of the site is under consideration.

The first phase will create a 7,240sq m supermarket, 32 affordable homes, a multistorey car park, a pedestrian link to Princes Street and a new town square.

Later phases would create more retail and residential units.

Public consultation on the proposals for the project was undertaken in September, the feedback will be taken into consideration in November when Eden councillors will make a decision on the proposals.

If the plans get the go ahead work could start on-site in the next year and phase one of the project could be complete by 2011. www.eden.gov.uk

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projects

Camp Farm A unique project, encapsulating Cumbria’s past as well as its future, is the redevelopment of 60-hectares of land at Camp Farm in Maryport. The site, which was purchased by Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd in December 2008, is among the least researched Roman sites in the north of England.

The purchase of the site was the first step in the plan to excavate the Roman fort and settlement, and to create a major new museum. The £11.5 million project will ensure the site will be maintained for generations to come, and see up to an extra 50,000 visitors in

30

Maryport every year, spending between three to four million pounds, and creating up to 120 new jobs in the area.

Dick Cuckson, development manager at Cumbria County Council, says: “It is a large scheme; £11.5 million is a big project for Maryport. One of the essential features of the development is that it links into Maryport. The site is on the edge of the town and we need to ensure that visitors to the site also come into the town. What interests us in economic development terms is visitor numbers and the spin-off to the local economy.”

Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Ltd was established in 2006 with One North East, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Natural England and English Heritage to help look after, protect and conserve the World Heritage site, and to increase its contribution to the local and regional economy through sustainable tourism.

The organisation is currently tying up all the funding to allow the scheme to progress, and it is anticipated that work will begin before the end of this financial year.

The Cumbrian Coast Line is no ordinary local line, with stunning coastal scenery and magnificent views of the Lake District Mountains it’s a showcase journey of 85 miles. The railway connects the many communities between the border city of Carlisle in the north and the shipbuilding town of Barrow-in-Furness in the south: it makes an valuable contribution to the local economy by taking commuters to work – in places such as Barrow, Carlisle, Sellafield, Whitehaven and Workington. The spectacular views attract thousands of tourists every year and many attractions in Maryport, Ravenglass and Whitehaven are just a short walk from the station.

Our stations are every bit as important to us as our trains. Thanks to the efforts of local volunteers, many of them look absolutely beautiful, and that’s why we want to encourage more station friends’ groups. For some of our smaller stations – like Drigg, Green Road and Bootle – community involvement has made a real difference.

A couple of years ago, the Cumbrian Coast Community Rail Partnership was created. Its purpose is to drive forward a range of improvements and link the railway with a variety of local initiatives.

Northern Rail is a friendly, community-focused operation, which people enjoy using and our employees enjoy working for. We’re continuing to invest more into customer service, and building on the positive feedback we’ve already had. We are very proud of the Cumbrian Coast railway and our efforts will ensure a quality service for years to come.

projects

Rural employment sites Regeneration is not the preserve of big towns and cities. In such a rural county as Cumbria it is important to ensure everyone benefits from regeneration plans and investment.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) commissioned Lambert Smith Hampton to undertake a study to determine the best way to direct public sector investment to encourage rural growth and private sector investment. The NWDA has in excess of ÂŁ10 million available for the period 2008-2013 and the study will pinpoint target areas for this funding.

It is thought a programmebased approach will be taken looking at how modern, flexible work space could be put in place and where the priorities for this are. The study will be published later this year.

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Carlisle Airport Much of Cumbria’s wealth is drawn from its business community and from the vast numbers of tourists that flock to the north west every year. This, combined with hopes to make the county more easily accessible, is the reason behind plans to develop Carlisle Airport.

Planning consent has already been secured for the creation of a warehouse and distribution centre to accommodate Stobart’s Carlisle operation and Stobart Rail’s operations, and to improve the aviation side of the airport by upgrading the runway to remove the weight limit it currently operates under. This would allow the airport to attract commercial aircrafts, significantly boosting visitor numbers to the county – those arriving for both business and pleasure.

Richard Gordon, Carlisle Airport director, is positive about the developments taking place.

He comments: “We are on the edge of the Lake District, we have Hadrian’s Wall, and the border country, so for an inbound tourism location we have a lot to offer, and getting tourists directly in here would be great. There are also people travelling to do business on the Energy Coast. At the moment it is very hard for people to get in and out of Carlisle and the surrounding area quickly, and Cumbria loses out on some key markets because of this.

Having an airport here is going to make a lot of difference.”

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projects

Lake District National Park Not only is Cumbria home to England’s largest national park, the Lake District National Park, but also its highest mountain – Scafell Pike, which stands at 978m. With 8.3 million visitors a year it is important to ensure the park lives up to expectations, something the Lake District National Park Authority is working towards with its Lake Windermere Waterfront Programme.

The project is set to maintain, upgrade and enhance the lake

34

and its surroundings. Public realm around the lake will be improved via landscaping and in certain areas the quality of the built environment will be enhanced.

The plans include a masterplan, being developed by BDP for Bowness Bay, a key arrival point for tourists, where the possibility of including a new hotel and cultural facility is under consideration. Also under consideration are plans for the redevelopment of Windermere Steam Boat Mu-

seum, the creation of a 600seat conference facility at Low Wood Hotel and aspirations for a 21st century visitor facility at Lake District National Park Visitor Centre. The Lake Windermere Waterfront Programme also aims to encourage visitors to use sustainable methods of transport through the development of a cycleway and the introduction of a water-bus network as well as park and ride/sail points.

A £150,000 refurbishment package for the upgrade of

three visitor information centres to provide user-friendly buildings is already under way.

In keeping with the environment the buildings will promote locally sourced materials, high quality and low energy installations such as lighting, a new air source heat pump and sheep’s wool insulation.

Ullswater was the first of the centres to open, followed by Bowness. Work will start on the refurbishment at Keswick before the end of the year. www.lake-district.gov.uk ❍

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Newport City Footbridge

talking heads

Come together A renewed emphasis on partnership working is ensuring Cumbria’s regeneration delivery bodies are pulling in the same direction.

Cumbria’s expertise and experience in the energy industry has never been more important to the future of the country – and there is a sense of genuine optimism in the north west that now is the time for change and great things are about to happen 36

Marie Fallon corporate director for environment at Cumbria County Council “The positions I have had in the past have included some areas of work similar to the ones I am currently responsible for. So I can bring my experience of service delivery from other parts of the country.

“By building on our main strengths – our diverse communities, natural resources and world-class landscape, we will be able to realise our goals. The biggest challenge facing the progression of Cumbria’s regeneration is going to be co-ordinating its activities effectively to ensure maximum return on the investments we are making.

“And this applies particularly to the opportunities presented by the presence of the energy sector. We have to support the existing energy sector, and create the appropriate conditions for nuclear new build and the exploration of renewables.

“By working together in strong partnerships we can make the best of our excellent communities, businesses and landscapes. I’d like to see us successfully addressing the challenges around climate change while at the same time bringing about dramatic changes in some of the less well off parts of the county.”

Roger Liddle chairman of Cumbria Vision “There is a very strong national policy dimension to Cumbria’s economic future, and the energy question is at the core of this. It is something that has interested me for many years and, because I am from Carlisle as well, I am very glad to be helping with it.

“The biggest challenge is to get dynamic people to choose Cumbria as a place to live. A lot of people love Cumbria but they don’t necessarily come here to work. We need to change the image of Cumbria so it becomes a wonderful place to grow a business and to bring up a family.

“I would like to see the University of Cumbria firmly established, I would like to see a raising of educational attainment levels across Cumbria, I would like to see more of the area’s talented young people coming back to the county after they have finished university, and to do this we need to build up an economic backbone for the county based on our unique strengths; energy and the natural attractions of Cumbria.”

Ian Haythornthwaite executive director of resources at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) “In Cumbria we work with partners including local authorities, public bodies and the private sector on projects that will make a significant impact on the sub-regional economy. Our partners include our sub-regional partner, Cumbria Vision, formed by the NWDA, and responsible for economic development and regeneration strategy.

“Energy is a vital part of Cumbria’s economy with over 12,000 direct jobs. West Cumbria Vision, supported by NWDA, is now tasked with delivering key elements of the masterplan to transform West Cumbria into Britain’s Energy Coast.

“Skills are paramount in driving forward the economy and NWDA has committed £36 million to the University of Cumbria, to address the outflow of young people who leave to gain higher education qualifications and seldom return.

“We are confident that by working with our committed partners we will deliver sustained investment and real economic benefits for Cumbria.”

Brian Wilson chair of West Cumbria Vision “The energy sector is hugely important – both in terms of what exists and also potential for the future. West Cumbria has given a huge amount to the economy of the UK over the last couple of centuries, first through the coal industry and then nuclear.

It makes sense to build on that history and these strengths, while always looking for opportunities to diversify.

“I am a great believer in jobs as the key to economic improvement. If people have work, they have money to spend and the whole place can move forward. You can have any amount of top-down regeneration but if it does not create real, well-paid jobs, it will not be sustainable. So the biggest challenge is to turn all the ideas and potential into real, high quality jobs.

“The measures of success will be in terms of the quality of jobs and the environment in which people live. I hope that West Cumbria Vision will help to deliver some early hits which demonstrate that economic regeneration is not an empty phrase but an umbrella term for many improvements which contribute to these ends.”

Murray Easton chair of Barrow Regeneration “The energy sector has the potential to play a very significant role in the area’s improvement on the basis that being part of the nuclear cluster in the north west, Barrow, and West Cumbria, we have a lot of the skills, and the potential to attract more to the area.

“One of the challenges we face is that it seems businesses have difficulty recruiting people into the area. We are still not selling it effectively as a wonderful place to live and work. Those of us that are here know the area provides a phenomenal quality of life. There are similarities with Glasgow; it used to have a bad reputation but the European City of Culture title succeeded in changing this. There are still some areas that are not that nice but perceptions have been changed. And this could happen in Barrow.

“It is just a case of selling it properly; making sure the schools are good, the residential opportunities are good, that the retail offer is good, and that life away from work is desirable here.”

Mandy Dixon interim chair of Eden and South Lakeland delivery board “Cumbria’s main strengths include its world-class environment, its quality of life, the creative drive of its communities, the global recognition of the value of the Lake District brand, and the M6 corridor and the west coast mainline. All these contribute to a marketable brand which, if managed in a creative and enterprising way, will result in attracting focused private sector development to allow the county to continue developing an integrated approach to economic regeneration.

“Over the next ten or so years I’d like to see more employment site opportunities opened up in the south and east rural areas of the county, addressing the low wage to house price discrepancies; the growth of the presence of the University of Cumbria in all areas of the county, assisting in stemming the flow of young people from the county and attracting new young people in, also focusing on developing the workforce for the future; and increasing sustainable transport initiatives helping to deliver the economic improvements to which we are aspiring.”

Bryan Gray chair of Carlisle Renaissance “It was logical for me to be interested in playing a role in Carlisle. I think it has huge potential. Carlisle has not played to its full potential yet, and I’d like to be involved in making it do that.

“There are some potentially conflicting issues in Cumbria, such as the beauty of the Lake District, and the sustainability issues of attracting tourists, the need to develop energy, the need to boost employment.

“Where does Carlisle fit into all this? It is a city, it is the biggest place in the county, but do people see it like this? The answer is probably not. Carlisle has not risen to the challenge of creating a city region, and my view is that it should be up there with Durham and York. And this is our task.

“The foundations have already been laid; we know what the challenges are, we know what the opportunities are, and it is about doing it now, and finding ways of achieving change.”

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The university at the heart of West Cumbria’s Energy Coast and its local communities • Providing programmes at degree level and above at our expanded and modernised Westlakes campus • • Developing skills for the energy industries • • Undertaking significant research • • Engaging with employers • • Working with training providers • • Raising aspirations • • Working with colleges and sponsoring the Westlakes Academy • • Supporting the Energy Coast •

For more information visit www.uclan.ac.uk/cumbria Course enquiries: 01772 892400, cenquiries@uclan.ac.uk

education

Learning curve

E

nergus, the £20 million education and training facility at Lillyhall, opened in June. This is just the first of many education initiatives in West Cumbria to improve learning provision and boost employees’ skills.

These initiatives will support the £2 billion Energy Coast initiative, which aims to supplement the region’s nuclear industry with energy from renewable sources.

Over time, this regeneration will create thousands of new jobs – so the local workforce needs to be prepared. To help fulfil this need, there are plans to improve education in schools and investing in higher and further education, with the emphasis on vocational training.

Not only is it essential to attract new people

into the nuclear, science and engineering sectors, but also to provide on-the-job training and education for those interested in moving from one industry to another.

“There is a need to develop more skills through clear pathways,” says Graham Lamont, chair of the Cumbria Employment and Skills Board, which was established last year by Cumbria Vision, Cumbria County Council and the Learning and Skills Council to identify the county’s skills gaps and requirements.

To make this happen, the board is first researching the skills needs of local employers and looking at how these can be met by local education and training providers.

Lamont anticipates the outcome will focus not only on traditional learning establishments, such as schools, colleges

Things are changing in Cumbria and the education sector and facilities are being developed and improved in line with these changes. Pamela Buxton discovers more

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education

and universities, but also on other ways to deliver training, such as online and distance learning.

“My challenge is to make sure it’s an organic process where employers and providers of training are joined up to provide the skills needed by the Cumbrian economy,” he says.

West Cumbria is becoming increasingly important as a location for research and training for universities in the area.

The University of Cumbria has opened a new facility at Energus, its Learning Gateway (West), which is helping to deliver the university’s engineering and business management courses.

Meanwhile, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has been investing in its Cumbria campus and upgrading the Westlakes Research Institute, which opened in September after a £5 million refurbishment. The new facility provides teaching and learning facilities,

and accommodation for research and knowledge transfer activities.

“We’re ensuring there are appropriate skills for the future,” says Graham Baldwin, pro-vice chancellor (skills and employer engagement) of UCLan. He adds that this is particularly important since a number of people employed in the nuclear industry are approaching retirement.

“There is a potential risk of skills shortage in the future as there are changes in demographics.

We’re very keen to bring in new blood,” he says.

The University of Manchester is also involved in West Cumbria through its Dalton Nuclear Institute. Together with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, they are investing £10 million each in a proposed research centre at the Westlakes Science and Technology Park, which has now received planning permission.

Housing 60 staff and postgraduate students, the centre will conduct world-leading research

“ There is a potential risk of skills shortage in the future...we’re very keen to bring in new blood ” 40

into areas such as radiation science and decommissioning engineering. It will also offer continuing professional development for those in the industry. State-of-the-art IT facilities will allow students to access lectures in Manchester.

Students set to benefit from the new research centre will include those studying the many new degrees that are being formulated in response to the changing nuclear industry.

According to Professor Andrew Sherry, executive director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute, such investment is “absolutely fundamental” to the future success of the east coast industries. “It feels like there’s a real head of steam,” he says.

Earlier stages of the education chain are not being neglected. Cumbria County Council has bid for £80 million from the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to transform four secondary schools – Whitehaven, Mayfield, Millom and Netherhall – and upgrade secondary facilities in Workington. It has been placed 11th out of 70 nationwide in an indicative priority list issued by Partnerships for Schools, the team that delivers the programme. However, investment may not be forthcoming until 2015.

Improvements to the school environments are essential if education standards are to be

Previous page and above: Current designs for the proposed West Lakes Academy at Egremont. The £25 million facility, which opens in September 2011, will specialise in science and business enterprise.

Top left: Plans for the University of Manchester’s new research centre at West Lakes Science and Technology Park. Bottom left: UCLan’s West Lakes Research Institute. Below: University of Cumbria’s new Learning Gateway West in the Energus building.

Energus

raised, according to Councillor Anne Burns, who co-represents children on the county council’s cabinet. “If we’re looking at giving our kids the best, you can’t do that in buildings where ceilings are falling in and you have to use outside toilets,” she says, adding that children need spaces that are inspirational, exciting and adequately resourced.

Another big change in secondary education has been the development of academies, which are already well under way in Cumbria.

Barrow is developing a new £45 million state of the art Furness Academy due to be built by September 2012. In addition, Barrow’s Furness College, which provides both further and higher education has been successful in its bid to the Learning and Skills Council for some £40 million.

One academy with strong links to local industry is West Lakes Academy, which has a specialism in science and business enterprise and is due to move into its £25 million new home at Egremont in September 2011. Its sponsors include Sellafield and UCLan. “The university has a campus in West Cumbria and the area is important to us. By sponsoring the academy, we can position ourselves centrally in the local community,” says

Mick Farley, chair of the academy’s governing body and UCLan’s director for Cumbria.

He is keen to raise the aspirations of young people in the area. “The academy will aspire to transformational learning. We want to ensure that personalised learning is tailored to meet individual needs,” he says.

Detailed design of the new £25 million school, by architect Halliday Clark, is still being finalised, and Farley says this will be a departure from traditional classroom arrangements.

Instead, it will have flexibly sized learning spaces, all supported by new technology. Four clusters of three classrooms will have the flexibility to open up into single large halls. The school will be arranged on three levels and will include a public library and youth centre.

“If you go into an inspirational building, you are more likely to have a positive attitude – both teachers and young people,” Farley says.

If the Energy Coast vision bears fruit, there will be plenty of employment opportunities coming West Cumbria’s way in the next few decades. And, if the investment in education and training pays off, the local population will be well placed to benefit. ❍

With its smart corporate headquarters-style interior, Energus looks and feels like it means business.

Some £20 million has been spent on setting up the 6,000sq m vocational training centre, and it shows – from the state-of-the-art workshops and cinemalevel 204-seater auditorium to the variety of learning spaces such as lecture theatres and facilities for distance learning.

Everywhere is wi-fi-enabled – £1.5 million has been invested in IT and audio-visual equipment alone.

Appropriately, the training centre was built by a local firm, Thomas Armstrong (Construction).

“Our core aim is about enabling West Cumbria and the Energy Coast to rise to the challenge,” says Andrew King, chief executive of Energus. “The local population needs to have appropriate skills to maximise opportunities in the region.”

He describes the new centre as a ‘one-stop shop’ for training, including apprenticeships, undergraduate studies and corporate training.

While there will be school engagement activities to encourage interest in science and technology, the overall aim is to create a business rather than a college atmosphere.

Energus can accommodate more than 500 people at any one time, and has 20 of its own staff plus 50 instructors. Practical training on mechanical, electrical and instrumentation work can be carried out in the workshops.

As well as meeting the needs of local businesses and universities, Energus will provide a core set of courses for the National Skills Academy for Nuclear, which was one of the funders.

“There is nothing like this in Cumbria,” says King.

“Our ability to deliver education and training will be world class.”

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Are you helping to transform Cumbria?

Make sure everyone knows.

issue 3 autumn 09

fusion cumbria’s official regeneration magazine

cumbria’s official regeneration magazine

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keynote interview

Contrary to expectations nuclear decommissioning has led to a positive rather than negative outcome.

Julie Mackintosh finds out from Dr Ian Hudson, the NDA’s Sellafield programme director, how the area is set to benefit from its nuclear expertise

From gloom to glory Dr Ian Hudson remembers seeing

a newspaper’s billboard while on his way to one of the first Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) meetings back in April 2005. ‘Today job losses start’ was the doom-laden message on the board and the Sellafield programme director admits to continuing his journey with a somewhat heavier heart.

Today, with activity and positive feelings abundant in West Cumbria, such pessimism seems a long way off.

However, Hudson’s anecdote neatly illustrates just how much has changed since the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s formation only four years ago.

The multi-billion pound decommissioning operation, once viewed as an economic death knell for West Cumbria, has created a burgeoning, world-class knowledge cluster.

The prospect of an end to nuclear reprocessing at Sellafield has also seen the creation of a regeneration masterplan intended to make the region’s economy more diverse.

Since the dark days of the mid-noughties

there has also come the news that few in the West Cumbrian workforce had dared to hope for – Britain is to build a new generation of nuclear reactors, 11 to be precise.

But, back then, with these events yet to unfold, despair over the future for (a much relied upon) nuclear industry was more than justified.

A 2003 report predicted that decommissioning would see 8,000 of the 12,000 Sellafield employees lose their jobs by 2012, alongside at least another 2,000 in the supply chain.

In the borough of Copeland, 47% of the labour force worked in the nuclear sector and 60% of households had at least one member employed in it. “In financial terms, the industry has dominated in Cumbria,” acknowledges Hudson.

He adds: “In many ways, the report’s dismal predictions were an impetus for change.

Nuclear is the economic engine of the region,

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keynote interview

“ The government sees Cumbria as a strategic part of the nuclear, and indeed the country’s, entire energy future - which is different from its position five years ago ” it’s the mainstay and now it’s a force for restructuring and creating stimulus in other areas too.

“The government sees Cumbria as a strategic part of the nuclear, and indeed the country’s, entire energy future – which is maybe different from its position five years ago.”

Although Sellafield’s reactors have been shut down, alongside other site operations, the 100plus year decommissioning process across the site is huge – more clean-up work will take place here than the rest of the UK combined.

As befits a business measured in billions, a vast range of opportunities exist. The specialist knowledge needed for large-scale decontamination is evident on site. Perhaps just as interestingly, it is displayed off site too, in the ever-growing supply chain.

Westlakes Science and Technology Park is a perfect example of the energy, environment and technology cluster that regeneration organisations hope will provide a secure future for the region.

Home to the NDA, its residents – which include CH2M Hill, Serco and Fluor – read like a Who’s Who of the nuclear industry.

The park is already the UK’s centre of expertise for all things nuclear and, because 90 reactors are due to be dismantled worldwide over the next decade, becoming a global force could be the next step.

“We are facing the toughest of challenges at Sellafield and the lessons learned here can most certainly be exported,” says Hudson.

“The nuclear industry encompasses many transferable skills and professions. Project 44

management, technical management and engineering, for example, are just as valid in the oil and gas sectors or the low-carbon economy.”

Last year, local stakeholders, including regeneration, politicians and business figures, worked together to launch the £2 billion Britain’s Energy Coast regeneration programme.

Through a range of projects, this is looking to build on the region’s energy knowledge to diversify into other technologies such as tidal, offshore wind and microgeneration. The aim is to create employment opportunities and boost Cumbria’s contribution to the national economy by £800 million over the next 20 years. (For more on the Energy Coast see pg 17) “The Energy Coast initiative is definitely achievable and it demonstrates how different partners are working together to invest, not just for now, but for the future,” says Hudson.

That is the bigger picture: nurturing skills, identifying crossovers and exploiting opportunities. It’s a subject about which the Sellafield programme director is passionate.

Hudson is chair of Energus, a new world-class centre for industry-related skills.

Fusion caught up with him on the eve of its much-anticipated opening by Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy and climate change.

“From September, we’ll have 50 full-time students from the University of Cumbria studying a variety of courses, train up to 100 nuclear industry apprentices, offer courses to Sellafield employees and open up Energus to other companies and bodies who wish to use it,” he enthuses.

Fact file Dr Ian Hudson

NDA’s Sellafield programme director and chair of the newly opened Energus.

■P revious roles: 2005 Dr Hudson joined the NDA leading on development of skills and R&D. ■ Previous roles: 1992 Dr Hudson joined BNFL’s company research laboratory later moving to Washington with the company.

Previous page: Dr Hudson speaking at the launch of the new Energus building.

Opposite page: With Ed Miliband at the opening of Energus.

An academic and training hub is quickly being built up in West Cumbria. This includes a nuclear research institute, a joint project between the NDA and University of Manchester’s Dalton Institute, the national Nuclear Laboratory and projects involving the Universities of Central Lancashire, Lancaster and Cumbria. (For more on this see pg 39) Following a change of government policy, there are now plans for a new generation of nuclear power, specifically 11 new reactors by 2018. The NDA is not directly involved in this process, although it is selling land for a possible reactor site.

“You can more easily justify a new build if we can prove that decommissioning is running smoothly and that we can clean up successfully,” Hudson points out. He believes West Cumbria is at an advantage when it comes to securing new nuclear facilities because of its history, skills base and the predominantly positive way in which the industry is viewed there.

To ensure this is achieved, Hudson says that the continued good operation of Sellafield and its decommissioning operations will be crucial, as well as the upgrade of electricity grid connections.

With the Energy Coast programme, new nuclear possibilities, a growing decommissioning industry and plans for diverse and greener energy, things are looking up in West Cumbria.

Not a native of the area – although teenage hiking trips in the Lake District are fondly remembered – Hudson came to work at Sellafield in 2000. The chance to run legacy plants on site lured him back from life on the outskirts of Washington DC as an engineering and technical manager with British Nuclear Fuels Limited. Then, when the newly formed NDA came looking for someone to take charge of their technical and skills operations Hudson seized the opportunity before moving to his current role of Sellafield programme director.

There are seemingly no regrets for swapping the US for West Cumbria. As Hudson very cheerfully observes: “On a sunny day like today it’s as good as anywhere in the world.” And with that, he is off to prepare for the grand opening of Energus. ❍

“ The Energy Coast initiative is definitely achievable

and demonstrates how different partners are working together to invest, not just for now, but for the future � issue three

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contact

“ Cumbria is

a place of extraordinary beauty with enormous potential for the future �

Contact: Cumbria County Council cumbria.gov.uk Cumbria Vision cumbriavision.co.uk Invest in Cumbria investincumbria.co.uk For information relating to the work of the delivery boards visit: carlislerenaissance.co.uk westlakesrenaissance.co.uk britainsenergycoast.com

46

“I have spoken at three conferences this year about our experience of winning and closing Croydon and Tunbridge Wells LABVs and I found Socinvest the best by a long way in terms of the quality of both speakers and attendees from different but complementary backgrounds.

The debates around key topical issues were well informed and relevant in today’s market.”

Jamie Kerr,

managing director projects and developments, John Laing.

innovations in regeneration finance 16 June 2010, Grand Connaught Rooms, London WC2B 5DA

www.socinvest.co.uk

For further information contact Shelley Cook on 07972 866281 or Shelley@3foxinternational.com

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