Council awards Langage build contract

Plymouth’s plans to create and attract high end jobs to the city have reached a significant step.

The Council has today announced Britcon (UK) Limited has been awarded the contract to build the exciting new business park at Langage.

The company took part in a competitive tender process and as well as constructing over 30,000 sq ft of high quality industrial accommodation at Langage Science Park, plans to use local suppliers and initiate local training and educational opportunities where possible.

The new units will be available in a range of sizes from 1,250sq ft right up to 20,000sq ft and will have high-quality facilities including sustainable technologies such as PV panels to minimise carbon emissions and running costs.

Council Leader Tudor Evans added: “A key commitment in our Plan for Jobs is to use Council assets and our ability to access finance to create jobs.

“Not only does this project create construction jobs it also opens the door to new sustainable careers in advance manufacturing and other more specialised work.”

The development cost of around £2.6 million is being funded through the Council’s investment fund.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Mark Lowry said: “This is great news and brilliant progress. We want to attract and encourage high quality jobs into the city and to do that we need to create quality work space that companies want.

“Encouraging businesses to invest here and encouraging home grown companies to expand is so important to the city that the Council is investing.”

Cabinet granted permission for the Council to invest in the project last May and planning permission was granted in May this year to turn an empty parcel of land near Plympton into a thriving hub of economic activity that could create and support around 80 jobs.

Once built, it will also provide an important long term income stream for the Council.

Once complete, the development will support and create up to 80 jobs, which the Council hopes will attract higher value jobs including advanced manufacturing and other services and technology-based businesses as well as general industrial use.

The scheme should be complete by Spring/Summer 2015 and the Council has already received a number of enquiries which it hopes to convert into new lettings.

Interested parties should contact the Land and Property Team at landandproperty@plymouth.gov.uk or telephone 01752 304161