First Board meeting takes Rewyre forward
The regeneration of Kidderminster has taken a huge step
forward with the inaugural meeting of the Kidderminster ReWyre
Initiative Board on June 8th.
This first meeting made a positive start by
discussing major investment programmes already underway. Some large
(‘Star’) projects were then discussed in detail including
identifying a new economic landscape for Kidderminster, the
regeneration of Churchfields and Horsefair, work on our Eastern
Gateway including Comberton Hill and the Town Centre, and the South
Kidderminster Business and Nature Park.
Ken Harrison Project Co-ordinator of the
ReWyre project initiative said,
“This first Board meeting discussed the agenda
needed to deliver the ambitions of the Kidderminster Regeneration
Prospectus. The prospectus was developed through extensive
consultation during 2008 and 2009. The Rewyre initiative brings
together public sector organisations, private sector business and
the wider community.”
Assessing the economic landscape is the first
‘star’ project and means deciding how Kidderminster can build on
its natural and legacy assets in terms of making stronger links
with the surrounding landscape and existing businesses. The
intention is to identify landmark projects that complement those
assets and have the potential to create additional wealth and new
jobs. This will involve leading architects and designers
looking at Kidderminster and the surrounding area to see what can
be done creatively but with limited funds to take maximum advantage
of its setting and hence enable a better quality of life for
everyone.
The Board includes three appointed business
leader volunteers who include Louise Hewett, Managing Director of
Hewett Recruitment; David Lawrence, Managing Director of Lawrence
Recycling; and Mark Moore, Director of Strategy Implementation at
Morgan Technical Ceramics. They have been brought in to challenge
and provide business thinking to the regeneration programme. One of
the business leaders, Mark Moore was selected to Chair the Board
and he said:
“The atmosphere of the meeting was very
positive and everyone is looking forward to working together to
achieve these ambitious goals. On a personal level I am looking
forward to providing a helping hand. I believe this is a fantastic
initiative to really boost Kidderminster and the surrounding area.
We are determined to explore how the area can be improved. There is
a real sense of vision and the opening meeting identified a number
of very exciting projects to provide significant momentum to the
regeneration programme.”
For more information about the ReWyre
Initiative visit www.rewyre.org
email: regeneration@wyreforestdc.gov.uk
or telephone: 01562 732192
Date of issue - 15 June 2010
