The beautiful new home for the OW enterprise takes root...

Well, things are moving forward set speed at the moment here!

When we submitted the OW project for appraisal the biggest cloud hanging over it's feasibility was the uncertainty over the future of the Marsh Farm Community Enterprise Centre (CERC). As the home for all of the OW projects this uncertainty was raised by the appraisers and urged that we think about other options - particularly as the MFCDT board, the council and "all key partners" supported its demolition and rplacement with a much smaller CERC - which would not be able to house some of the areas of enterprise our research has identified as excellent OW candidates

So our decision to align the OW with the development of the new CERC building was high risk and bold - but now looks wiser by the day as events around the CERC feasibility process continue to prove the truth. Today we recieved artists impressions of the finished article - and what an impressive looking building it will be!

People who were maybe gullible enough to believe the cost estimates, condition assessments and business case made by 'the professionals' advocating its demolition would have had serious doubts about the refurbishment option. But they have been completely amazed by the total viability of the plans for the new CERC, which has proven beyond argument that it will not only be sustainable - it will be a flagship in socio-economic, environmental and ecological terms - and all the more sustainable as a result of the long, hard struggle we have had to undergo to keep the vision alive.

So, next steps are:

• OW panel will meet within 14 days
• GO East and NDC committee (parallel appraisal) within 28 days
  
• the MFCDT board meet on June 23rd to agree the CERC refurbishment option - killing off the demolition option once and for all
• align the beginning of the OW with the beginning of works on redevelopment of the building
• head for a July start to the OW preparations
• August - OW starts - incorporating CERC based works such as taking down of the mezzanine, preparing the play area space, renovation of the front entrance (landscaping, fence removal etc) building of a dividing wall for the garage and envoronmental centre
  

So the OW aligned with taking the first small steps of the CERC redevelopment will see a community transformation like nothing weve ever seen before in the UK. At the same time it will provide the new born enterprise with sure footings, putting it in pole position to continue carrying out as much of the CERC and Central area transformation as possible

Marsh Farm Outreach - Regenerating Regeneration

A LUTA CONTINUA - A VITORIA CERTA

Glenn