General Enterprise Zone News

I didn't want to clutter any of the specific threads we have for developments within the enterprise zone for the article below, so thought I'd create this thread for anything that is general news related to the zone.

Anyway, I saw this on the BBC this morning.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-28415955

I kind of admire them for doing it. If these companies are considering relocation if Scotland votes yes then why not approach them ?

The Western Mail article gives more information. KT says that they're also trying to poach companies from France and London. So they aren't just targeting Scotland. It's a shame that we have to steal other people's companies and not be able to nurture the culture needed to create our own businesses in this sector. The number of letters sent makes me wonder if they've overplayed the interest in the enterprise zone a bit.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/b ... sh-7473567

I don't think it's anything other than the business council seeing if they can capitalise on an opportunity in the political situation in Scotland and the tax issue in France. It makes good business sense and it shows that Cardiff wants to grow.

I'm sure any city anywhere in the world would do the same.

Excellent news for the city jobs wise with Deloitte intending to double their workforce in the city to 1,000

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/deloitte-create-500-new-jobs-7741059

The article mentions them in negotiations for plot E04 at Callaghan Square south (which the Assembly Government own), plus they seem to be in negotiations with JR Smart over the just started Number 2 Capital Quarter.

This is good news - both in terms of jobs, and in terms of commercial occupier demand. I imagine the front-runners are E04 at Callaghan Square, and Number 2 Capital Square (the single-occupier building) - both are well located for Central Station (the latter in particular). I think 2 Capital Quarter is less likely - its location isn't as good, although that could mean there is a hefty discount to be had. Space at Capital Quarter might be something like £19-20 a square foot, compared to £23 in Callaghan, and £25 in Capital Square.

Excellent news for the city jobs wise with Deloitte intending to double their workforce in the city to 1,000

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/deloitte-create-500-new-jobs-7741059

The article mentions them in negotiations for plot E04 at Callaghan Square south (which the Assembly Government own), plus they seem to be in negotiations with JR Smart over the just started Number 2 Capital Quarter.

I gather this move is going to be confirmed sometime next week and that the Callaghan Square location has been chosen. From what I hear the number of new jobs has been increased from 500 to 700. Good news!

I'm obviously happy that Deloitte are increasing their presence and with such a significant amount of fee earners rather than admin support. I'm also glad that callaghan square is having a kick start once again. However I feel cardiff is too small to see any real agglomeration effects of central square, callaghan square and capital quarter all having new build at the same time. My view is this would be better longer term to have all of this built in one area

These areas are all pretty close together - all within 5 - 10 minute walk. Thats close enough for agglomoration effects in my view. I'd be more concerned if we were talking about Cardiff Waterside and the City Centre say.

And it allows each specific sub-area to be built mixed use, which might be better in some respects.

We could, I suppose have something like:
- Callaghan Square, offices
- Central Square, hotel, retail, leisure, some resi
- Capital Quarter, resi and student resi

But instead we might end up with:
- Callaghan, offices + mixed use of some variety
- Central, offices, hotel, retail, leisure, resi
- Capital, offices, hotel, student resi

I think this works better. Offices provide custom to shops and cafes. Restaurants, hotels, leisure, and resi provide some activity outside of office hours. A mix of uses also gives flexibility to the developer to bring forward more quickly those uses for which there is more demand; or to cross-subsidise parts of the development.

I wish I had your optimism. Whilst 5-10 minutes in the smoke in nothing, in Cardiff you can be well outside of the city centre in that time, certainly from the 3 areas we are discussing.

I think we need two or three more Deloitte-like (in terms of job numbers) new jobs announcements and some movement with the handful of existing employers in the city that we keep hearing about requiring space. Between all that I would think a fair amount of the new space earmarked in all three main schemes in the city centre would be sorted, particularly if you threw in some residential and hotels.