Corby is ‘fastest-growing’ town

The town of Corby in Northamptonshire has the fastest growing population in England and Wales, according to new figures.

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) based its findings on the number of council taxpayers in the borough.

They show that the number of average Band D council taxpayers in Corby has risen 9% between 2006/07 and 2009/10.

Kettering showed the third highest increase (6.4%) of any local authority.

Pat Fawcett, leader of Corby Borough Council, said: “The council’s ambition is to double the population of Corby by 2030 and so the news that our growth rate is the fastest in England and Wales is just excellent.”

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Fresh bid planned for university

A fresh application to create a university in north Northamptonshire is likely to be made in the new year.

Education leaders rejected a bid from Tresham College to set up the university in Corby.

But supporters of the plan say that with regeneration and a growing population, pressure is building for a new proposal to be approved.

They point to the success of the campaign to open a station in Corby as an example of what can be achieved.

Borough council chief executive Chris Mallender said: “Corby is a fast growing and fast improving place.

“We are aiming to double our population of about 57,000 people by 2030. Regeneration is already well under way with almost £2bn of investment secured for regeneration projects.

“We are also well on-track to deliver the homes we need with 12,000 of the 16,800 homes needed by 2021 either built or with full planning permission.

“An even bigger challenge is to deliver the 13,000 jobs needed to grow our economy. In this respect education is the best form of economic development we have got.

“Tresham College’s new £37m campus is pivotal to this, as is the recent opening of a national training headquarters in Weldon and the soon to be developed enterprise centre at Priors Hall.”
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Corby pool opened by Olympic swimmer

He was the first person to take to the water and he swam the 50m length in 22.92 seconds.

He said: “I love seeing new swimming pools, I have spent my life in them and this is a fantastic facility.”

“What makes a fantastic pool for me is the light that comes in here and you have built a great facility here.”

The official opening ceremony took place this morning and the pool will be open to the public from 2.30pm this afternoon.

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Funding Secured for Corby Enterprise Centre

New businesses, skills and jobs are to be created in Corby following today’s announcement by North Northants Development Company (NNDC), the Urban Regeneration Company, that funding is in place to develop the £8.3m Corby Enterprise Centre.

East Midlands Development Agency (emda) is the major funder of the Enterprise Centre, putting in nearly £6.5 million to the scheme, which includes £1m from Northamptonshire Enterprise Limited. The balance of the cash comes from Corby Borough Council (c. £700k) and over £1.1m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).  ERDF aims to stimulate enterprise and support the growth of successful businesses.

Following a development competition, a new site and design has been selected for the 43,000 sq ft flagship centre. It will now be located at Priors Hall, the major urban extension to the north-east of Corby, which is already home to the new £30m Corby Business Academy. It is expected that work will begin on site in late summer 2009 pending detailed planning consent.

The Enterprise Centre will be situated adjacent to the Academy in the planned employment area of Priors Hall, which has been praised by CABE* for its design philosophy. Located close to the proposed District Centre, it will be within five minutes walking distance of planned community, entertainment and retail facilities.

Bela Partnership, a joint venture between Bee Bee Developments and the Lagan Group, which is leading the development of Priors Hall, has been selected as the preferred site developer to build the Enterprise Centre. It has been designed by the Milton Keynes-based DLA Architects.

The building will provide 32,000 sq ft of lettable office, workshop and studio space. Its aspirational and environmentally-friendly design will offer start-ups and small businesses a truly flexible workspace including access to state of the art telecommunications and meeting facilities.

By providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to work within such high quality office and workshop space, it will have a major impact on the balance of the local economy, creating a significant number of highly skilled jobs in Corby.

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Work starts on £10m rail station

Work on a £10.2m railway station for Corby in Northamptonshire has started this week.

Corby is currently the largest town in Britain without a station and the new facility will offer services to destinations including London.

Network Rail said it had appointed Dean and Dyball to build the new station.

Dyan Crowther, Network Rail route director, said: “This new rail link will give Corby the chance to take the greener option of the rail.”

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Southern Gateway Construction Commences

First building starts at Corby’s Southern Gateway

Construction is underway at Corby’s Southern Gateway Business Park, forecast to bring hundreds of jobs to the town in a long-term development.
Tri-Towns Developments Ltd say the first buildings will comprise a Beefeater family pub restaurant and Premier Inn budget hotel.
But Mark Best, of Tri Town’s Developments, says there is also strong interest in the site, which sits off the A6003, for office and industrial space.
He said: “We are delighted that Whitbread have commenced the developed of the family pub and budget hotel.”
“The fact that Whitbread have acquired a site highlights the prominence of the site and the types and calibre of occupiers the site is going to attract.”
“I am pleased to say that we have some very good interest from a number of occupiers from both within the Corby area and from further a field for both industrial and office buildings and I am therefore confident that further building will be constructed on the site very quickly.”

Read the full story at http://thisisbusiness-eastmidlands.co.uk/

Contact Details for the Oakley Hay Beefeater:

1 Little Colliers Field
Corby
Northants
NN18 8TJ
T: 01536 462790

Beefeater Website

Corby rail station on track to open by Christmas

The Government organisation is still thrashing out the details for the timetable to be drawn up by East Midlands Trains, which will be running the service, but has said the plan is to have the service in place for the end of the year.

Banners have gone up at the site to remind Corby residents they will be able to travel to the capital from the town in the near future.

Contractors are on site in Station Road putting in infrastructure.

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