A commercial centre containing business units could be built at an energy park next to a £400million power plant on the fringe of Plymouth – after a decade long wait for development to start.
A new partnership between South Hams District Council, Langage Power Station and Langage Energy Park Ltd is aimed at creating a commercial centre at Langage, a stone’s throw from the main A38 artery, which would include small business units for start-ups.
Since the original planning application for Langage Power Station was approved 20 years ago, there has been limited additional commercial development on the site.
It was meant to attract high-value companies to benefit from cheaper power, creating up to 4,000 jobs, but while the power station has been built and has now been operational for nearly a decade. the energy park has been slower to materialise.
A £15million, 5MW solar farm was built, however, and started generating clean electricity in 2011. It harnesses power from the Sun to meet the electricity needs of about 1,000 homes in Devon, and the electricity is made available to businesses on the Langage EnergyPark
So now South Hams District Council has taken an active interest in kick-starting development on the site and is working with Langage Energy Park to agree a “practical way forward for delivery, including the outstanding S106 obligations”.
Langage Energy Park Ltd has agreed to build the starter units within the site to stimulate activity and growth. It is hoped that this could then encourage the build out of a significant business park, attracting good businesses and generating wealth and opportunity in our District.
It is anticipated a planning application could be submitted in the 2018/19 financial year and will include 10 new starter units covering 30,000sq ft of space, a unit for a commercial tenant of 10,000sq ft, and a further unit of 10,000 sq ft that the council may have the option to buy. All this is, of course, subject to planning permission.
Cllr Hilary Bastone, Deputy Leader of South Hams District Council, said: “This is exciting news for the South Hams. It was always the intention, through S106 contributions that Langage Energy Park would help us deliver new starter units at Langage and I am delighted to see these conversations move a step closer. We are not there yet, but conversations are definitely moving in the right direction.
“It is really important to us that we can provide opportunities for businesses to flourish in the South Hams. This is a great opportunity for us to promote employment, commerce and enterprise locally.”
South Hams Executive has now recommended that full council approves the use of up to £200,000 to fund the cost of extending the lease of the starter units from 21 years to 125 years, funded from the power station business rate reserve. Giving the council business units a long lease which they can rent out.
David Bee, from Langage Energy Park said: "Langage Energy Park Ltd is committed to progressing its development plans for the Energy Park and is looking forward to seeing commercial growth and development in the near future. We are working in close partnership with South Hams District Council to make this a success."
