Christopher Gurteen, Joint Managing Director of D. Gurteen and Sons Ltd, and Nic Rumsey, Managing Director of Carisbrooke Investments, have announced today that they have agreed to work together in trying to come up with a redevelopment plan for the Chauntry Mills site in the centre of Haverhill.
At this stage there are no plans for the site, which has a Grade II listing, but there is an agreement that work will start in turning what has been an aspiration for the town centre into a reality. The site has been recognised by St Edmundsbury Borough Council as an essential element of regenerating the town centre and its importance was highlighted in the Haverhill Masterplan.
Mr Gurteen said:
"Gurteen's prominent position in the town centre has long been the subject of potential development speculation but no-one has ever come up with a viable economic scheme before. We have long realised that if Haverhill town centre is to develop successfully we must be prepared to make way for a proper planned town centre development. We feel confident that with Nic Rumsey's knowledge of the town, the borough and his development track record he will be able to come up with a scheme that will give the town a new heart and enable Gurteen's to relocate."
St Edmundsbury's economic development role has enabled the council to bring partners together and create the right conditions, through the production of the Haverhill Masterplan, for fruitful discussions. The borough council has also allocated £10 million over the next ten years to bringing the masterplan to life.
Looking forward to the opportunity the redevelopment will bring, Mr Rumsey said:
"We are very excited to have reached this agreement with Gurteen's on their prime site and are very optimistic that working closely with them and St Edmundsbury we can deliver something appropriate for the town in the 21st century."
Cllr Jeff Stevens, Chairman of the Haverhill Area Working Party and Deputy Leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council, welcomed the agreement.
"St Edmundsbury has made a major commitment to the town centre of Haverhill so I am delighted that real progress is being made towards transforming the Gurteen's site. There are no firm plans as yet because there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done by all of us, but the first steps have been taken which is great news for Haverhill."
ENDS
Contacts:
Christopher Gurteen: 01440 765706
Nic Rumsey: 0207 493 6774, mobile - 07880 743 477
Cllr Jeff Stevens, 07876 560853
ISSUED BY MARIANNE HULLAND, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757034. marianne.hulland@stedsbc.gov.uk
