Betteshanger Business takes first steps

Phase I of Betteshanger Business, part of the Hadlow Group’s Betteshanger Sustainable Parks project near Deal, has been granted planning permission.

Plans for the 2,500m² Preventative Health Enterprise Incubation Hub, to be located on the site of the former Betteshanger Colliery, were approved unanimously at Dover District Council’s planning committee at the end of July. The quality of the architecture was also recognised by the committee.

Scheduled to open in January 2019, The Hub will support the development of a range of small and medium sized businesses from conventional health care to alternative forms of care (e.g. natural medicine), active sports, healthy eating and food production and health innovation research and development. It will place particular emphasis on commercial enterprises designed to combat obesity and Alzheimer’s.

The 3 storey building will have low environmental impact at its core. It will use passive principles, maximise daylight usage, use natural ventilation, minimise energy consumption, minimise water usage and utilise sustainable sources and materials.  It will achieve at least BREEAM Excellent – the world’s foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings.

The Hub will support c.750 people per year and create an estimated 700 jobs by the end of 2020.

Richard Morsley, Director, Betteshanger Sustainable Parks, said: “We are pleased our planning application has been approved by Dover District Council. This marks an exciting first step for the development of the business park at Betteshanger and is a key part of the wider masterplan which will see the creation of a cluster of commercial and educational facilities on the brownfield site.“

 

 

 

 

 

News on a £2m funding application to the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) to support the development is imminent. The total project value is £4.2m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information about Betteshanger Business see www.betteshangerparks.co.uk

 

About Betteshanger Sustainable Parks:

• Betteshanger Park, near Deal in East Kent, is operated as part of the Betteshanger Sustainable Parks scheme and is integral to the regeneration of the former mining community in East Kent.
• Betteshanger Sustainable Parks is part of the Hadlow Group, which includes Hadlow College, a premier UK land-based college, ranked Ofsted Outstanding.
• The £40 million Betteshanger Sustainable Parks scheme will drive regeneration of the site and the area, combining sustainable business and commerce; education; health and wellbeing; sustainable energy; and tourism.
• Located on the site of the former Betteshanger colliery, the scheme will see the 121-hectare site transformed into a much-enhanced Country Park, including new Visitor Centre encompassing the Kent Mining Museum, and adjacent Business Park.
• The Kent Mining Museum will be a core feature of the new Visitor Centre. Devised to celebrate and preserve Kent’s coal mining heritage. The Museum will embrace a unique collection of oral history, archives and artefacts, many of which would otherwise be in danger of being lost forever.
• The Kent Mining Heritage Foundation (KMHF) is a registered charity (charity no. 1165403) working in partnership with Betteshanger Park, Hadlow Group, Aylesham and Elvington & Eythorne Heritage Centres to collect, care and promote East Kent’s coal mining heritage.
• The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has confirmed a £1.3m grant to be used specifically to support the development and operation of the Kent Mining Museum.