Fire Sale! Everything must go!
1. Proposal to be received by Thursday 30th May 2019 at 1600
2. Receipt of Non-refundable deposit to secure exclusivity by Wednesday 5th June 2019 at 1600
3. Completion of sale by 31st July 2019
Betteshanger Sustainable Parks is an economic and social regeneration project and a planned educational, commercial and visitor destination located on the site of the former
Betteshanger colliery. Betteshanger is a 330-acre site, located across two distinct elements: Betteshanger Country Park and Betteshanger Sustainable Park.
The site was acquired by Hadlow College from the Homes and Communities Agency (now Homes England) in July 2013. Further to the original acquisition, the ownership of the
Betteshanger Sustainable Park was transferred to Betteshanger Sustainable Parks Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hadlow College, which was established as a commercial vehicle for
the development of the site.
Country Park
Betteshanger Country Park Ltd (BCP) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hadlow College and is the operating company responsible for the management of the 250-acre Country Park
based on the spoil heap of the former Betteshanger Colliery. The Park is owned by Hadlow College. BCP employs in total 26 staff (c.18 FTE) and a Project Director who is employed via
Hadlow College.
Betteshanger Park welcomes c.135,000 visitors annually, who use the site for its cycling facilities, play facilities and to engage in a variety of sporting and outdoor activities. Betteshanger
hosts a diverse events programme and welcomes c.4,000 school visits annually, who engage in a variety of sporting and enrichment activities. Betteshanger also hosts a third party
organisation, MYPT, an obstacle course and military fitness company. Betteshanger is an important community asset and its audience is focussed in the East Kent area, predominantly
within a 30-minute drive time.
The construction of a new 2000m2 Visitor Centre and Kent Mining Museum is ongoing, with construction 88% complete. The facilities were scheduled to open to the public on 30 March
2019. As part of the construction programme, the previous temporary visitor facilities were demolished in November 2018 to aid the wider landscaping works.
Originally 100% externally funded, due to cost overruns and programme delays, the capital project now presents a funding gap (c.£3M including outstanding sums) through to
completion.
Sustainable Park
Betteshanger Sustainable Parks Ltd (BSP) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hadlow College and is the owner of the 80-acre Betteshanger Business Park based on the former
Betteshanger colliery complex. BSP is a financial vehicle for the management of the Business Park, with the site operations being managed through the BCP team. BSP doesn’t employ
any staff.
The Sustainable Park was established in the early 2000’s, and despite significant public investment remains undeveloped. Hadlow College developed the concept for the creation of an
educational and commercial campus focussed on sustainable technologies, health and wellbeing, and food production. The Park was to be developed through the creation of business
incubation hubs, with supported programmes of training and development from within the Hadlow Group.
The Sustainable Park includes Almond House, a former colliery building, providing office space for small businesses. There are a total of 14 units in Almond House, currently leased to 9
businesses, with 1 vacant unit and generating c.£50,000 p.a. The Betteshanger team are based in Almond House, as well as providing storage space for the Kent mining collection and
a board room.
The wider Sustainable Park site includes a community park including a play area and skate park, wholly maintained by the BCP team, a Sewage Treatment Facility (Plant), and a
mothballed biomass energy plant.
The leasing of office units at Almond House provides a commercial revenue which cover the operating costs of the facility and provides the office space for the Betteshanger team.
Almond House currently operates on a breakeven basis.
