Key priority 1: Securing our future
As the home of GCHQ, we will build on Cheltenham’s place as the capital of cyber and security to generate growth. Our mission will be to work in partnership to create good jobs and productivity growth that will make everyone in Cheltenham better off and also deliver benefits for Gloucestershire and the wider region.
We will play our part in breaking down barriers. Through our partnerships and social value programmes, we will bring opportunity for all and support our residents to develop the skills and talent they need to benefit from our growing tech and security industry.
What we will do over the next three years
Our aims:
Moving forward with the delivery of the Golden Valley development is essential to creating lasting growth for our borough. We want local people to have access to good jobs, skills and training opportunities, which will ultimately support all our local businesses.
We are also ambitious about maximising the social value benefits from this development. With our partners we are already delivering social value activities, but we have further plans to ensure we secure social value benefits into the long term.
We also want to support our wider local economy and will continue to work with Cheltenham BID, our businesses, and our partners in the hospitality and tourism sectors, at a local, regional, national and international level to promote Cheltenham as a place to live, work, visit, meet, and invest.
Our actions:
- By the end of year 1 of this plan we will begin the phase 1 construction process of the Golden Valley development, which will deliver the Innovation Centre, Mobility Hub and infrastructure.
- By the end of year 1 of this plan we will agree clear social value targets with the main contractor for phase 1 construction, which we will track and report on.
- By the end of year 1 of this plan we will commence marketing parcels of land to housing developers to bring forward the residential element.
In year 1 of this plan, we will work in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council and other authorities to develop a Local Growth Plan for Gloucestershire and, in future years, we will support with delivery of the objectives and outcomes.- By the end of year 2 of this plan we will create a Social Value Charter, which will form part of the lease for all Golden Valley occupiers and tenants.
- By the end of year 3 of this plan we will commence construction of other commercial buildings on the development.
- We will continue to promote Cheltenham as a vibrant and attractive destination for visitors and for businesses through our dedicated Visit Cheltenham and Moving to Cheltenham websites.
- We will deliver a range of activities in partnership with Cheltenham BID and others to support the local economy.
Supporting key performance indicators:
- Employment rate
- Jobs created through Golden Valley development
- Innovation Centre tenants with no previous presence in Cheltenham
- Social value benefits – activities delivered; value quantified where possible
- Direct visitor spend
- Vacancy rates in council-owned investment properties