Business

Stimulating new businesses

Published 28 September 2011

The University of Brighton is working in a private sector partnership to create education and skills training opportunities with the potential creation of up to 10,000 new jobs for local people in and around the Gatwick area.

The university has signed an Education and Regeneration Protocol with the Gatwick Green Consortium (GGC), which is proposing a strategic, sustainable development on a site that straddles the Gatwick Airport spur road, making use of local transport links. It is planned to include higher and further education facilities in partnership with Central Sussex College, whose courses are validated by the university.

Professor Julian Crampton (right) signing the Education and Regeneration Protocol Agreement with Malcolm Young (left) and Russell Strutt, principal of Central Sussex College

The proposed educational facilities would be developed in conjunction with a science, innovation and technology park and would be linked with high-grade businesses, including incubator units to encourage start-up businesses and spin-offs from higher education. The aim is to foster knowledge transfer, research and business development. There are also plans to develop an international conference and convention centre, a hotel and a health and well-being centre on the site.

The Gatwick Green Consortium is a partnership with property investment and development company, the Wilky Group, which is also engaging with local stakeholders including Gatwick Airport, Crawley Borough Council, Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership and the Gatwick Diamond Initiative in preparing its proposals.

Wilky Group chairman, Malcolm Young, said: "Our aspiration is to create a strategic location for international knowledge-based companies. We believe they will be attracted by a high-quality, sustainable business environment at the hub of a uniquely favourable communications network. Gatwick Green has the potential to rebalance Crawley's economy by generating a range of high-skill, high-value jobs, and by providing employment for all the new households that are currently being planned for the town.

"The protocol represents our firm commitment to involving education and skills – represented by Central Sussex College and the University of Brighton in shaping the project from the outset."

Professor Julian Crampton, the University of Brighton's Vice-Chancellor, said: "The university has been closely linked with developing higher education and business support in the Gatwick Diamond area over the last few years. Our activities now cover a wide spectrum of involvement. Knowledge transfer schemes have developed and ProfitNet* has been introduced to small to medium enterprises. We are developing enterprise and entrepreneurship in students by providing capacity building for staff at Central Sussex College. These activities will respond to another local need, which is to stimulate the creation of new businesses.

"Gatwick Diamond is at the heart of the coast to capital local enterprise partnerships which gives another stimulus to ensuring the very best education and training is available to all employers."

*ProfitNet is the University of Brighton's business development and support programme that enables businesses to help themselves and their peers.