Henry Boot in Sheffield bags huge cyber campus development contract

A Sheffield property business has landed a major contract for a development set to create 12,000 jobs.
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Henry Boot subsidiary, HBD, and tech campus developer, Factory, are to form a joint venture targeting the UK tech sector near GCHQ - the nation’s ‘listening post’ for spies.

‘HBD X Factory’ has been selected as preferred bidder to deliver 111 acres of Cheltenham Borough Council's 200-acre, £400m ‘Golden Valley’ – a ‘world-class’ Cyber Centre business park.

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In a statement, Henry Boot said: “The Golden Valley Development covers 200-acres and is expected to create 12,000 new jobs, 3,700 new homes and 2million sq ft of commercial space, with Cyber Central UK at the heart of a visionary integrated campus focused on cyber and digital innovation.

Henry Boot chairman Jamie Boot, with a portrait of founder Henry Boot in the background. Picture Scott MerryleesHenry Boot chairman Jamie Boot, with a portrait of founder Henry Boot in the background. Picture Scott Merrylees
Henry Boot chairman Jamie Boot, with a portrait of founder Henry Boot in the background. Picture Scott Merrylees

“The project builds on the presence of GCHQ's headquarters and Cheltenham's existing cyber sector, with the first phase delivering an innovative, mixed-use community clustered around Factory's first project of scale in the UK - Factory Cheltenham - which will sit alongside GCHQ.”

Ed Hutchinson, managing director of HBD, said: “The HBD X Factory partnership reflects our focus on delivering large-scale, transformative regeneration projects - the Golden Valley Development is a hugely important project for Cheltenham, the South West region and the wider UK tech sector and we look forward to working alongside Factory to bring the scheme forward.”

The joint venture partners will also explore new opportunities across the UK, including acquisitions and public/private partnerships with local authorities and other strategic landowners, as it targets large-scale, mixed-use districts and urban regeneration projects with a focus on innovation, he added.

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Henry Boot, based at Banner Cross Hall on Ecclesall Road South, is a public limited company established more 135 years ago.

Jamie Boot, Chairman of Henry Boot Construction, with a portrait of founder Henry Boot in the background. Picture Scott MerryleesJamie Boot, Chairman of Henry Boot Construction, with a portrait of founder Henry Boot in the background. Picture Scott Merrylees
Jamie Boot, Chairman of Henry Boot Construction, with a portrait of founder Henry Boot in the background. Picture Scott Merrylees

It is one of the UK's leading and long-standing property investment and development, land promotion and construction companies.

The Group comprises three segments: land promotion, property investment and development, and construction.

It has a ‘high-quality strategic’ land portfolio, an ‘enviable’ reputation in the property development market, backed by a substantial investment property portfolio, and an expanding, jointly owned, house building business.

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It has a construction specialism in both the public and private sectors, a long-standing plant hire business, and generates flows from its PFI contract through Road Link (A69) Limited.

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Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.

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