Electro Works

7. The Policy Fit: Key Local, Regional & National Regeneration Policies & Strategies
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The Local Area Regeneration Policy Context
Regional Government and the European Policy Context

Regeneration through Creativity
Regeneration policies and strategies at all levels recognise the tight fit between economic and social regeneration. Within the new potential areas of business growth, the development of creative and cultural businesses are given added priority because of their potential to unlock and harness creativity, to foster innovation, to exploit information technology and to contribute to quality of life.

The Electro Works Project sits at the centre of these strategies with its focus on:

Supporting creativity in the metal trades and the music industry
Building a regional centre for the music industry in the inner city neighbourhood of Sharrow
Creating local training, jobs and businesses
Working with young people of all ages to enjoy and make music so that they can harness and exploit their talents.

The Local Area Regeneration Policy Context is provided by 3 plans:
1. The Sharrow, Nether Edge and Broomhill Area Action Panel: This in one of 12 Action areas covering the City but excluding the city centre. Two of its four aims to 'help funding and regeneration initiatives get off the ground' and to 'harness' the contributions of the local community.

2. The Sheaf Valley Strategy and Partnership: This principally covers the Sharrow and Heeley Wards and centres round the London Road/Abbeydale Road Corridor and the Queens Road/Chesterfield Road Corridor. Its mission is to regenerate the Sheaf Valley for the benefit of local people and businesses by [inking that regeneration with adjoining initiatives such as the Cultural Industries Quarter and the development of the former Tyzacks Site on Broadfield Road. The Electro Works Cluster Project has been developed with the support of the CIQ, it will make a major contribution to the creation of a community based, regionally strategic, cultural industries infrastructure. It fits well with all four themes of the Sheaf Valley Strategy (Premises, Business, Environment and Transport). Transport may seem an unlikely connection, but the Electro Works Cluster team are investigating new environmentally friendly transport alternatives so that the increase in businesses activity does not lead to greater car usage and parking congestion.

3. The South Sheffield Partnership & Area Renewal Plan (2003-2012): The South Sheffield Partnership brings together Community Forums and Development Trusts covering the areas of Sharrow, Broomhall, Manor, Heeley, Arbourthorne, Norfolk park, Gleedless Valley, Woodthorpe and Castle. Its primary purpose is to 1 create local jobs, local ownership and local pride'. This project fits within five of its seven Strategic Programmes, all six of its Strategic Aims and all five of its Action Programmes. There is a strong focus on the development of economically sustainable assets through support for local social enterprises and initiatives that improve the built environment. In the 'Focus of the plan' there is emphasis on moving local communities towards economic reintegration by creating and nurturing new growth businesses in strategic business locations. The digital and creative business sector is specifically identified as offering significant growth potential.
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Regional Government and the European Policy Context
Yorkshire Forward, the regional regeneration agency state in their Regional Economic Strategy 'A strong cultural sector is vital to strong economic performance. ' The RES aims to develop the regional economy by focussing on cluster strategies and growth sectors. Creative and digital industries are identified as one of the five key economic growth sectors. In their development strategy for a creative and digital cluster they stress the importance of building links with communities, developing the skills base and ensuring access to affordable, flexible workspaces.

Arts Council Yorkshire (The Regional Arts Council) has six priorities associated with its strategy and funding programmes - the Electro Works Project supports all six.

At Government and European levels there is a similar focus on taking a community-led approach to economic and social regeneration. Both the Government's new Neighbourhood Renewal agenda and Europe's Objective One Programme in South Yorkshire put a major emphasis on developing community enterprise and the social economy.