To find out how you can join and get involved please contact:

Gary Stringer, Ambassador Place Manager

01442 228808 | gary.stringer@hhba.work @InvestHemel | www.InvestHemel.co.uk

From the area’s largest employers to sole-traders, our Ambassadors are a diverse range of economic champions celebrating what makes our area great.

Investing in the future

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Dacorum Borough Council is proud to promote economic growth and prosperity of the local areas as a key priority.

As a committed and fully engaged member of the Hemel Hempstead Business Ambassadors Scheme we will consult and encourage dialogue with HHBA as a key consultee when developing the Council’s policies and plans which shape the economic development of Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding areas.

Sally Marshall Chief Executive, Dacorum Borough Council

Rt Hon Mike Penning, MP

“ Hemel Hempstead is a fantastic place to invest. The town benefits from an excellent combination of great transport links and easy access to a beautiful natural environment with state-of-the-art leisure facilities as well. With the support of a pro-business local council and supportive and informative local business leaders such as the Hemel Hempstead Business Ambassadors, potential investors will be made to feel welcome and soon recognise themselves the benefits of investing in the Hemel Hempstead area. ”

£250M INVESTED*

Hemel HempsteadThe economic hero

Paul Weston Senior Vice President, Head of London & South East Markets, Prologis

“ We are really pleased to have submitted our planning application to Dacorum Borough Council. We are looking forward to continuing to develop our relationships with Ambassadors and to supporting the business community in Hemel Hempstead. ”

£30MINVESTEDBY DBC INTOREGENERATINGHEMEL HEMPSTEADTOWN CENTRE

IN TOWN CENTRE ACQUISITIONS

£8.5 MILLIONJARMAN SQUARE

REDEVELOPMENT BY TESCO PENSIONS

DEVELOPMENT BY HIGHTOWN HOUSING ASSOCIATION

HEART OF MAYLANDS£20M

TOURISM WORTH£256M

PER YEAR £ NEW VAT REGISTERED BUSINESSES

460

SPENT BY DBC ON NEW HOMES£32M

MAYLANDS BUSINESS CENTRE TURNOVER

££

£53.8MINVESTMENT

CAPITAL & REGIONAL

65,000 SQFT PREMISES300 QUALITY JOBS

RELOCATION OF SMITH’S DETECTION

££300,000*£250million estimated investment into Dacorum during 2015-2016.

Hemel Hempstead’s success is essential for your business - getting Hemel Hempstead thought about and talked about is one of our primary goals, raising our reputation and contributing to creating a quality environment to live, work and enjoy.

Investments into the scheme enables us to be proactive in promoting the HHBA scheme, its members and the area we represent since our launch in December 2015. Hemel Hempstead is the prime location for investment; a place where you can do business. A proven centre of

Achieving our aims

Claire Madden, Partner, Brasier Freeth

“ Working as a community to strengthen the Hemel Hempstead offering and encourage collaboration has been the key benefit. We would encourage other companies to join. ”

industry and enterprise, with unparalleled accessibility Hemel Hempstead achieves a wonderful contrast of a growing urban centre situated in outstanding countryside with rural attractions that are completely unspoilt.

It is therefore little wonder that inward investment into the area is at an all-time high, showing the ongoing confidence of investors. We’re off to a great start, and the next chapter of our story promises to be even more exciting.

Hemel Hempstead is a place ‘you can do business’.

Hemel Hempstead is primed for growth with both service and manufacturing businesses thanks to its proximity to London, fantastic connectivity and access to skilled people. There is also an availability of development sites coupled with the commitment and support of Dacorum Borough Council.

Inward investment into the area is at an all-time high, showing strong investor confidence. Prologis have a planning application for the Prologis Park development on Maylands gateway. The proposals will deliver new distribution warehouses and investment in the local road infrastructure. The scheme will secure over £80 million of private sector investment and based on research undertaken by Prologis, as well as that of Cranfield University, the scheme when fully delivered will support around 750 -1,000 jobs in the manufacturing and logistics sectors.

Centre of industry and enterprise

Andy Cook, Managing Director, FFEI

“ A vibrant business community draws in infrastructure, investment and talent. Hemel Hempstead has just that. We have a growing number of diverse, great businesses in all sorts of sectors from technology, IT, logistics, manufacturing and service. We base ourselves here because, simply, it’s a great place to be doing business. ”

Additionally there have been offers for land of over 600,000 square foot on Maylands, including the 150,000+ sq.ft. Aviva Retail Scheme being given planning approval on Maylands Avenue. Smith’s Detection have renovated their 65,000 sq.ft. premises on Maylands Avenue, bringing 300 high quality jobs to the area. We’ve also seen additional redevelopment of 140,000 sq.ft. of class A offices at the Maylands building (formerly Diamond Point) and the £10 million redevelopment and upgrade of Westside, Apsley.

93%OF BUSINESSPLANNINGAPPLICATIONSAPPROVED

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DACORUM IS HOME TO12% OF HERTFORDSHIRE’S TOTAL7,300 BUSINESSES

ENTERPRISE ZONE STATUS

IN T

HE

ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESSES AND 1000s MORE JOBS

THE LARGEST SOUTH EAST

MAYLANDS BUSINESS PARK

500 NEW JOBS CREATED IN THE BOROUGH ON AVERAGE

Access all areas

There is no doubt that part of the great appeal of Hemel Hempstead is how well connected it is, not only to London, but to the rest of the country and internationally. The M1 and M25 are right on the doorstep. Getting to the Midlands and North of England is equally as simple as going South. This connectivity is appealing in terms of accessing customers, employees and suppliers.

Enterprise Zone status will provide a source of funding via Hertfordshire LEP, to plan for infrastructure improvements to Maylands, working with Highways to secure medium and long term solutions.

David Macpherson Regional General Manager, Martin Brower UK Ltd

“ Our organisation has been based at Maylands for over 34 years. We employ nearly 500 staff in Hemel Hempstead, between our Distribution Centre and our Head Office. The Distribution Centre is strategically located for delivering to over 450 restaurants, half of which are within the confines of the M25. ”

David Furnell Chairman, Furnell Transport

“ Location location location! Furnell Transport are proud to have been based in Hemel Hempstead for 50 years. ”

149,700PEOPLE LIVE IN DACORUM

AIR

PORTS 20

304565

MINS

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LUTON

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STANSTED

GATWICKTO ANYWHERE IN WORLD

26 MINUTES BY TRAINTO LONDON EUSTON

25 MI

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FROM M1FROM M25

INVESTED£2 MILLION

INTERCHANGEIN NEW BUS

LONDON MIDLANDREGIONAL OPERATORIMPROVED MOST

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“

Hemel Hempstead achieves a wonderful contrast of a new, growing, changing urban centre and residential town surrounded by outstanding natural beauty.

Celebrating 70 years since it was granted New Town status, Hemel Hempstead continues to evolve with Dacorum Borough Council’s own £30 million Hemel Evolution investment regenerating the town centre – including The Forum shared services hub, Marlowes shopping area transformation and restoration of the Jellicoe Water Gardens. Acting as a catalyst for further investment, early 2016 saw the acquisition of the Marlowes Shopping Centre, Edmunds Parade and Fareham House for £53.8 million by Capital & Regional, with ambitious plans to transfer the leisure and retail offering of the town centre.

Ongoing investment into the 145,000 sq. ft. Jarman Square area saw the site transformed into an exciting, and modern leisure destination, offering something for the whole family, including a gym and ice rink. The cinema complex underwent a £7 million refurbishment, increasing capacity with seating for up to 2,266 film fans across 17 screens, including a 281seat IMAX auditorium. The site also boasts new restaurant units, and a neighbour in the XC Centre, the extreme sports facility featuring an impressive skate park, 14m high climbing wall, and one of the world’s largest organic indoor caving systems.

Active and green

Vince Williams, Centre Manager, Marlowes Shopping Centre

“ The Business Ambassadors promote Hemel Hempstead as an environment that is attractive to new business and investors into the town, ensuring that we get that commercial message across to all sectors and at every opportunity. Bricks and mortar are one thing, but I’m also very keen that the town is seen to be a promoter of excellence in terms of what we have to offer and how we offer that through our local staff. A real point of difference to put Hemel on the map. ”

GRAND UNION CANAL

FILM & TV LOCATIONAPPEARANCES• JUSTICE LEAGUE • PADDINGTON 2 • GRANTCHESTER • DOCTOR FOSTER • JASON BOURNE • & MANY MORE

GATEWAY TO OVER 2,000 MILES OF NAVIGABLE WATERWAYS

10,000VISITORS PER WEEK TO THE SNOW CENTRE

TOURISM WORTH£256M

PER YEAR

Hemel Hempstead has all the spaces, experiences and people you’ll ever need, for you to call it home, with a choice of places to live, from small villages to estates or apartments and with a host of leisure and retail amenities in the area.

Cllr Andrew Williams, Leader of the Council, reflects: “Hemel Hempstead’s 70th ‘new town’ anniversary coincides with the start of a new chapter in our history. We’re just completing our Hemel Evolution regeneration of Hemel Hempstead, which has transformed the town centre and taken it to the finals of the Great British High Street Awards 2016.”

“Staying true to our roots, we’re also fulfilling an ambitious £50 million programme to build 300 new homes by 2020.”

In addition to the new builds from Dacorum Borough Council, Hightown Housing Association are committed to build 225 properties in the next five years, at a cost of £45 million, and there are further developments of 357 new homes by Barratt Homes and 325 new properties from Bovis Homes.

Living choice and value

David Bogle, Chief Executive, Hightown Housing Association

“ Hightown is the biggest housing association in Dacorum and a major investor in Hemel Hempstead through our new build programme, employing over 200 people in Dacorum. Hemel Hempstead Business Ambassadors is a great way to promote our town and the borough and demonstrate a long term commitment to make Hemel a dynamic modern place where people want to live, work, exercise and play. ”

85.3%OF DACORUMIS RURAL1/3

R U R A L ARE

A

OF WHICH IS WITHIN THE CHILTERNS AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

NEW BUILD SCHOOLS

BY 2020

WESTHERTS COLLEGE

NEW CAMPUS SPRING 2017

SHARED SERVICES HUB

THE FORUM

£17M

OPEN

KLS & LONGDEAN

ONE STOP DOCTORS £10MMEDICAL CENTREOUT PATIENTS

DBC

PROG

RAMM

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£50M

300NEW HOMES

It ’s been an eventful time since the launch of the Ambassadors scheme in December 2015. With over 50 local businesses signing on and pledging their commitment to raising the profile of the area, we’re firmly established in promoting Hemel Hempstead and the opportunities it offers businesses, developers and institutions.

We’ve hosted six exclusive Ambassador events, offering an unparalleled opportunity for our local business community to come together, find out about and debate major developments and investments into the area. Hosted at landmark venues such as Breakspear Park, Hightown Housing Association and Aubrey Park hotel, we’ve heard keynote presentations from the companies impacting our area, and driving our economy, including Capital & Regional, London Midland, Prologis and Dacorum Borough Council.

We have an exciting programme of events lined up for 2017, listed opposite. These events are designed to provide the opportunity for our Ambassadors to input and influence local decisions and policy that may affect their business.

An important part of our work is producing collateral and marketing materials to enable our Ambassadors to promote Hemel Hempstead, and the surrounding areas. This was utilised to good effect at the “Hertfordshire –Perfectly Placed” stand at MIPIM UK this year, three intensive days of networking that allowed us to showcase Hemel Hempstead at the UK marketplace for international and local investors.

Our key aim in, 2017, is to promote the opportunities available to the organisations and investors that will contribute to our future success. As such we are hosting an Invest Hemel Showcase, at the Houses of Parliament on 13th July. This is our opportunity to demonstrate the best of our area to institutional investors, developers, house builders, relocating businesses and foreign inward investors, our opportunity to show that “Dacorum is Different”.

We’re off to a great start, with great things planned. I am proud to share our achievements with you in this, our inaugural annual review.

Gary StringerPlace Manager Hemel Hempstead, Business Ambassadors

Wide ranging events programme for 2017

JANUARY Westside, Apsley

MARCH The Forum

MAY West Herts College, Hemel Hempstead Campus

JULY Shendish Manor

Invest Hemel Showcase Thursday 13 July House of Commons

Hosted by the Rt Hon Mike Penning MP and the Rt Hon David Gauke MP, demonstrating the best of our area to institutional investors, developers, house builders, relocating businesses and foreign inward investors.

The HHBA Board Guiding your investmentJEAN MCLEISH Head of Vertical Marketing, Sopra Steria – Chair

DAVID FURNELL Chairman, Furnell Transport – Vice chair

MARTIN FIELDMAN Managing Director, AbodeBed

SUE DAVIES Head of Human Resources, Bourne Leisure

CLAIRE MADDEN Partner, Brasier Freeth

SALLY MARSHALL Chief Executive, Dacorum Borough Council

ANDY COOK Managing Director, FFEI

VICTORIA HAMPSTEAD Facilities & Procurement Manager UK & IE, Henkel Ltd

DAVID BOGLE Chief Executive, Hightown Housing Association

PETER WILLSON Managing Director, Hopespare

GARY LEWIS Head Teacher, Kings Langley School

AMBI SINGH Director, Lumiere Developments

VINCE WILLIAMS Centres Manager, Marlowes Hemel Hempstead

DAVID MACPHERSON Regional General Manager, Martin Brower UK Ltd

DAVE MOORE Managing Director, Satellite Creative

KERRY UNDERWOOD Senior Partner, Underwoods Solicitors

GILL WORGAN Principal, West Herts College

AbodeBed

Adam Hollier Photography

AP Marketing

Aubrey Park Hotel

Barclays

Barnard and Co Employment Solutions

Bourne Leisure

Brasier Freeth

Cobham Consulting

Dacorum Borough Council

EIC Insurance

Eurotech Services

FFEI

Frasers

Furnell Transport

Golden Bites

Gyron Internet Ltd

Hemel Gazette

Hemel Hempstead Football Club

Henkel

Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce

Hightown HA

Hopespare

Hospice of St Francis

Indigo Tree

JE2

Kings Langley School

Lumiere Developments

Lumina Technologies Ltd

Machins Solicitors

Mari Thomas

Marlowes Shopping Centre

Martin Brower

McDonald’s

Mediation Hertfordshire

MRK Associates

My Mustard

One Stop Doctors

People Building Ltd

Pitch Events

Regency Homes Ltd

Royal Bank of Scotland

Satellite Creative

Sherry Hostler Cake Artistry

Sopra Steria

Spirit of the Old Town

Synergy

Tring Park School for Performing Arts

Underwoods Solicitors

West Herts College

Thank you to our Year One Investors

Ambassador progress

Jean McLeish Head of Vertical Marketing, Sopra Steria and Chair, HHBA Board

“ The Hemel Hempstead Business Ambassadors initiative has harnessed the expertise of a diverse range of organisations across the Public, Private, Education and Third Sectors. The scheme has demonstrated that by working together, the business community can take an active role in shaping the future of Dacorum. Our aim for 2017 is to take the message out to a wider audience and encourage more inward investment to the area. ”

SEPTEMBER Kings Langley School

NOVEMBER Tring Park School for Performing Arts