Key Priorities

The North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone aim is to ensure that:

"North Staffordshire is a successful and rewarding place in which to work and invest, an exciting place to visit with an increased quality of life for all"

Over the next 3-years the main focus of the Zone will be on capital investment in infrastructure and improving the environment for both business and residential communities. Alongside this investment it will be important to also provide the appropriate business support and raise skill levels. Specific activities and projects are set out in the Zone 3-year Implementation Plan (ZIP) and these are presented for business planning purposes around the four pillars of the West Midlands RES, however many of the activities are inter-related and address more than one pillar. Particular programme areas include:

Pillar 1: Enterprise and Innovation
Developing new growth clusters around medical technologies, which link to Keele Science Park and the new hospital development; high value added goods, which builds on the ceramics sector, professional services and ICT.

Addressing the low levels of business start-ups, through a new radical approach to enterprise/entrepreneurship.

Improving the level of innovation among the business base in North Staffordshire.

Improving the image of North Staffordshire as a place to invest, 'do business', live and visit.

Pillar 2: Learning and Skills
Developing a University Quarter to create a focus for learning which links to FE/HE and provides access to all.

Ensuring that employers have the right skills to support the success of their business and individuals have the skills to be employable.

Enhancing broadband infrastructure by providing access to all households and businesses.

Raising individual's aspirations.

Pillar 3: Image and Infrastructure
Creating a strong, vibrant commercial core, which includes the City Centre

Creating a better and cleaner environment, particularly on the major routeways into the conurbation.

Preserving and promoting Burslem as the historic centre for North Staffordshire.

Developing Chatterley Valley, which is a very significant brownfield site of over 100 hectares straddling the City and Newcastle Borough boundary just off the A500 near Tunstall.

Pillar 4: Regeneration of Local Communities
Ensuring new investment, including the new hospital benefits local people.

Building the capacity of voluntary and community organisations to deliver employment and training.

Removing barriers to employment and training faced by disadvantaged groups.