About
Rochford District Council has entered into a contract with development partner, gbpartnerships, to deliver the Council’s Asset Delivery Programme. The two partners have now come together as Voyage Partnership.
The Programme
Voyage Partnership will deliver this long-term regeneration programme, boosting the local economy and delivering enhancements in community facilities while reducing future costs for Rochford District Council.
The new buildings developed through the programme will help deliver value for money for the Council through the creation of flexible, future-proofed spaces which can be adapted to accommodate any changes in future service provision.
The proceeds of the development are expected to fund a significant proportion of the cost of creating the new Council and community facilities.
The programme will also stimulate the local economy through the generation of local trade, apprenticeships and work placements.
The new buildings will incorporate latest environmental technologies and will achieve BREEAM Excellent. The locations are all sustainable town centre locations and so will encourage walking, cycling and use of public transport, as well as providing EV charging points.
Mill Arts & Events Centre in Rayleigh: read more here
Find out more about the project here
Refurbishment of The Freight House
The Freight House, in Rochford, will also be refurbished to form a new civic chamber and hireable community space, with an extension to house purpose-built offices for Council staff and visitors.
Find out more about the project here
Delivery of new homes
The remaining sites within the programme will be developed for much needed new housing. These sites are at Civic Suite and the Mill Arts and Entertainment Centre in Rayleigh, as well as three locations along South Street in Rochford.
Key Priorities
Financial
- To reduce the ongoing revenue costs (such as facilities management, repairs and maintenance) associated with managing the Council’s assets.
- To generate revenue income streams from the Council’s assets where appropriate.
- To generate capital receipts from disposal of surplus assets to help fund future investment.
Regeneration/place shaping
- To improve the local area and facilities for local residents and businesses. In connection with this, the strategy also emphasises that the efficient use of public assets can bring forward new homes, helping to address the significant demand for local housing.
Transformational
- To provide fit for purpose 21st Century office accommodation, providing flexible, multi-purpose space for Council staff and key partners in order to drive efficiencies through a ‘digital’ first way of working and improving the Customer Experience.
The Partnership
Rochford District Council has entered into a contract with development partner, gbpartnerships, to deliver the Council’s Asset Delivery Programme. The two partners have now come together as Voyage Partnership.
Rochford District Council delivers a wide range of high-quality services and is committed to ensuring that our residents remain at the heart of all we do. Rochford is a District in south east Essex, a beautiful, scenic area bounded by the River Crouch to the north.
gbpartnerships has an excellent track record in working as a property partner to the public sector and possesses a well-rounded and experienced team capable of delivering the Council’s vision. gbpartnerships are supported on this project by a team of regionally based delivery partners.