Economic Development Unit

The Economic Development Unit at Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is dedicated to helping businesses to start, grow and prosper within Blaenau Gwent and also to build relationships with new inward investors and developers that may be looking to locate projects within the area.  The team offers guidance, support and signposting in relation to sites and premises, financial assistance and also general business issues.

A great place to do business
  
Conveniently located within the UK, Blaenau Gwent offers excellent access to all parts of the country (please refer to the map on the back of this pack), by virtue of its central proximity to the M4, M50, and M5/6 motorway routes, together with the ‘Heads of the Valleys’ carriageway.  In terms of freight, Blaenau Gwent is located only 40 minutes away from docks at Bristol and Newport.  In terms of international travel, Blaenau Gwent is less than an hours drive away from nearby airports at Cardiff and Bristol.
  
Blaenau Gwent enjoys a passenger rail-link to Cardiff, and is also equipped for ‘e-business’ by means of excellent broadband telecommunication links.  As such, Blaenau Gwent’s infrastructure provides its businesses with a rapid, reliable and cost effective connection system to customers, suppliers and colleagues in UK, European and World Markets.
 
A skilled and productive workforce

Blaenau Gwent boasts a skilled, committed and loyal workforce supported by excellent schools, colleges and universities. We are surrounded by a plethora of high-quality academic institutions, including the University of Cardiff, the University of Glamorgan, University of Swansea and the University of Wales, Newport - all of which are within a 40-mile radius. Blaenau Gwent’s strong thrust towards education and skill-based training is undoubtedly one of the reasons behind the dynamism and flexibility of its local workforce. A variety of support initiatives are also operated within the area, such as recruitment assistance and the highly successful JobMatch Programme, to ensure that employee skills are intelligently tailored to ensure a fit with employers needs.

As well as offering a superb location and infrastructure from a business perspective, Blaenau Gwent is also blessed with an amazing landscape.  Truly enjoying ‘the best of both worlds’, the County Borough forms part of the Southern border to the outstanding Brecon Beacons National Park, and is adjacent to a World Heritage Site.  Both its beautiful mountain land landscape and its wealth of local history make Blaenau Gwent an enviable setting for any business to grow and develop.

Financial Support

For information on available grant assistance please visit our Business Grants section.  You can go there by selecting the appropriate link from the Related Pages on the right navigation panel of this page, or alternatively call us on 01495 355700. 

Commercial Property and Sites

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has a range of business properties and development land sites to support business needs.

The Council’s Economic Development Unit manages a property portfolio comprising of 14 estates with 186 business units in total.  Industrial units range from 28 sq m (300 sq ft) to 1,542 sq m (16,600 sq ft) and offices from 15 sq m (160 sq ft) to 279 sq m (3000 sq ft).

We can help with . . .

 

• Business start-up units
• Quality office space
• Combination industrial units - quality office space with production/workshop areas 
• High profile locations on modern industrial estates and business parks
• Land for your own design and build project

Occupancy is available on flexible lease terms and ‘easy in - easy out’ licenses. For more information and to discuss your business requirements, please contact the Economic Development Unit on  01495 355700.

Property Register

The Blaenau Gwent Property Register is a compilation of property details for vacant industrial units and offices within the area. In addition to Council-owned property, the register contains information supplied by owners and estate managers for private sector business premises.

The property register provides key information on available premises to include the property size, location and contact details.  More comprehensive property specifications and photographs are available on request.

For a copy of the Property Register, please contact the above telephone number or email address.

Pre-Incubation - Turn Your Ideas Into Gold At The Alchemy Suite

The Alchemy Suite is located at the Lakeside Business Centre in Nantyglo, near Brynmawr and is specifically designed to provide ‘budding entrepreneurs’ with the ideal environment in which to explore their ideas and to develop their business ventures.  The Centre offers its users a professional address, the use of computers (including AppleMacs) and other office equipment, together with access to a wide network of useful representatives from other business support organisations.

The Alchemy Suite has been created to provide people with all the help they need to explore and to develop their business dreams.

The Alchemy Suite offers:

 

• Access to tailored business support and advice
• A high quality, professional environment  
• A well stocked business library of reference books
• Secure computer access
• Use of office equipment and meeting rooms
• Help with presentations and pitches
• Information on financial support, including grants
• A centrally located facility with easy reach of public transport

If you have an idea for a new product or service, telephone us on 01495 355700 for an application form, or just call into the Centre and pick one up.  

Free Entry Into the Blaenau Gwent & Five Counties Business Directory

The Economic Development Unit at Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is in the process of working closely with four other local authorities to create an “On Line” Business Directory.

As well as a local business directory, purely for businesses based in Blaenau Gwent there will be an over arching business directory, accommodating businesses across the 5 authority areas of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Torfaen, Monmouthshire and Newport.

The business directory will provide you with the opportunity to take advantage of a free marketing facility to assist with the promotion and development of your business.