Newham based firm has pumped millions into Cornwall's economy and is now celebrating a business milestone
Wednesday 11th April, 2018
A property consultancy firm, which has been responsible for pumping millions of pounds into the local economy, is celebrating reaching a special business milestone.
Offering everything from specialist town planning, financial and business planning, project management, grant funding and professional property expertise, Business Location Services Ltd and its associate company BLS Estates have been instrumental in the development of many high profile economic development schemes across the region since its launch some 30 years ago.
With a track record for the delivery of private sector projects using European grant funding, the Newham-based business has delivered around £200 million of private sector projects with grant funding from the Objective 5b, Objective 2, Objective 1 and Convergence EU programmes in the South West in the years 1990 to 2014.
Managing director Russell Dodge, said: "These developments include employment and infrastructure space projects in Torbay, Plymouth and strategic industrial estate locations across Cornwall."
The range of projects are too numerous to detail but include speculative office and industrial space developments in Hayle, Truro, Falmouth, Redruth, Indian Queens, St Austell, Plymouth and Torbay, and bespoke developments such as Western Power Distribution at Camborne and the Samworth Brothers at Callington and Launceston.
Russell added: "And BLS is currently actively involved with the delivery of private sector employment space and infrastructure projects with grant funding assistance from the current round from the EU Growth Programme with projects in Falmouth, Redruth and Indian Queens.
"Through our work we have been prolific in boosting the region’s economy."
Russell has based his business at Newham since 1989 – having developed Cornwall’s first B1 office scheme on Heron Way. The Newham business district has grown up around Russell and his team over the years and is now a thriving area with a diverse range of around 100 companies based there.
BLS provides an integrated approach to regeneration and business development projects with skills including business planning, property development, town planning and environmental assessments, aimed at providing a “one stop shop” for development projects.
"Our development and investment in 1989 has been a catalyst for growth in Newham, it has changed so much since we first moved here," said Russell who was one of the voices instrumental in setting up the Newham Business Improvement District. "It is a major success story not only for us but for the many businesses and people who have invested in Newham."
BLS is not just pivotal in the success of EU grant funded developments but also renowned for delivering development projects in the commercial, leisure, housing, and renewable energy sectors.
These include the Cornwall Hotel and Spa at St Austell where BLS was responsible for the development of a £30 million investment in an ambitious new hotel and leisure project.
BLS was commissioned in 2005 by a British developer to find a site for a new four-star destination hotel and undertook the site acquisition, town planning and environmental assessment and project management with the hotel being completed in 2010.
In 2001 BLS undertook a major infrastructure on behalf of Cable and Wireless which involved the masterplanning of fibre optic cable routes for two locations in Cornwall to London. The project totalled £65 million.
In terms of renewable energy BLS were involved in securing planning consent for a number of wind farms in Cornwall together with wind farm developments in Wales including a development of 104 wind turbines on a site in mid-Wales.
"I truly believe that BLS has made a major contribution to the local economy and this is something we are very proud of," said Russell.
For more information about BLS and the services it provides, visit www.bls.co.uk or call 01872 222777.