2021: THE YEAR OF LIFT-OFF FOR CHELTENHAM’S CYBER AMBITIONS

Cheltenham is already home to GCHQ. Now it has major plans to become UK cyber central

Cheltenham’s ambition to be at the heart of the UK cyber industry will take a big step forward this summer when the developer awarded the contract to work on the £400 million Golden Valley Development is finally announced.

Companies from across the country have been vying for the opportunity to develop the 200-hectare site and deliver a mixed-use development including Cyber Central, the UK’s first campus focused around the rapidly growing cyber-tech sector.

The scheme will also see up to 3,700 homes built as part of a new “Garden Community”.

Tim Atkins, Cheltenham Borough Council Managing Director for place and growth, said: “The response to the search for a development partner for the Golden Valley Development has been overwhelmingly positive. The calibre of the submissions has been exceptional and has justified recognition of the scale and significance of the opportunity we have in front of us.

“We are entering further detailed dialogue with these potential partners over the coming months and hope to be in a position to announce our appointed partner in the summer.”

The UK’s cyber industry is today worth an estimated £8.3 billion, with total revenues in the sector up 46 per cent from £5.7 billion in 2017. Along with this growth in annual revenue it is also seeing sharp increases in employment, as well as considerable investment in early-stage companies.

For 60 years Cheltenham has been the home of the UK’s intelligence and security organisation, GCHQ. From here, more than 5,000 employees keep the country safe, in the real world and online, focusing on communications and, crucially, protecting the nation’s cyber security.

Around this hub are hundreds of cyber companies, creating a huge density of cyber businesses second only to London, according to the borough council.

Some are small start-ups, while others such as Ripjar, founded in 2013 by former GCHQ employees, have grown rapidly. Ripjar has become a worldleading data intelligence provider. Last year the company raised around £28 million growth funding in series B funding from various equity partners. In total the cyber company has raised more than $60 million.

But start-ups struggle to find incubator space to thrive, which is why the Golden Valley Development is building on its rich cyber history to deliver a world-class “campus-style” mixed-use development.

The site in West Cheltenham is highly accessible, being bounded by two motorway junctions, close to an airport and mainline railway station with direct access to UK towns and cities such as London, Bristol, Bath and Birmingham.

Within this development, and building on Cheltenham’s growing reputation for cyber security, will be Cyber Central and the Cyber Innovation Centre, bringing together GCHQ’s innovation programmes, academia, business and event space.

It will also offer up to two million square feet of commercial floor space for the cyber sector and see a “garden community” of homes supported by shops, cafes, restaurants and leisure facilities.

Tim Atkins explained that the chance to make the town the UK’s number one destination for cyber services was a “once in a lifetime” opportunity that would have far-reaching benefits for residents and businesses.

He said: “The growth in the cyber industry is huge and it’s just going to continue to grow. That gives us a massive opportunity economically.

“But it’s about far more than just that. As a council we are looking at this from the lifestyle angle, creating skilled jobs for people, and about regeneration.”

He added: “This is a huge undertaking that will place Cheltenham at the heart of this multi-billion industry and create jobs, attract inward investment and pave the way for thousands of new homes around the development.”

He added: “We welcome hearing from companies and organisations in the cyber and digital sectors that don’t already have a presence in the region as we don’t want them to miss out on this opportunity.”

Cheltenham Borough Council has purchased 45 hectares of land – at

£37.5 million the biggest single purchase ever made by the council – to ensure the development goes ahead.

“This just underlines our commitment to the project,” added Tim. “The investment will see the development create a sustainable place for the community to thrive, with a long-term focus on creating new job opportunities, high-quality housing, sustainable transport and connectivity through public transport routes.”

He added: “The sheer scale of investment will create a ripple effect that will spark new socio-economic opportunities for Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and the wider region.”

Rowena Hay, leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, voiced her support for the project: “Our vision for the Golden Valley is to create a mixeduse development integrating Cyber Central as part of an innovative garden community comprising two million sq ft of commercial space and more than 3,000 new homes. We want to challenge existing norms relating to design and sustainability particularly in response to the climate change agenda.

“This first phase brings 45 hectares of council-owned land along with a further commitment of up to £180 million investment into housing as we spearhead our economic recovery.”

For more information goldenvalleyuk.com