User:Matticusmadness/Cobalt Business Park
Cobalt Park in North Tyneside is the UK's largest office park, with around 1,700,000 square feet (158,000 m2) of office space built or under construction.
Overview[edit]
Cobalt Park benefited from Enterprise Zone status until August 2006, with a business rate free period until then, and 100% capital allowances for corporation tax. The park has been open for 10 years now, and when complete will provide 2,500,000 sq ft (232,000 m2) in office space. The site already has a surgery and nursery/crèche on site together with restaurants and cafes open to all, swimming pool and fitness suite, 500 delegate conference centre and has become one of the most successful office schemes in the UK. Cobalt has a recruitment catchment of over 1.1 million people with two thirds of the population of working age. Staff costs are extremely competitive with savings of between 5% and 11% against national average rates.
Tenants[edit]
Current tenants include Procter & Gamble, Orange, North Tyneside Council, Hewlett Packard and Land Securities Trillium (whom all occupy two buildings) as well as Fujitsu, Northumbria Healthcare Trust, Capio Healthcare, Banco Santander, Formica, G4S, Newcastle Building Society, Balfour Beatty, Accenture, Social Media Training Solutions, De Vere VILLAGE Hotel and Health & Fitness Club, Newcastle, Just Learning Day Nursery and Cobalt Business Exchange and Conference Centre (http://www.cbx-cobaltpark.co.uk/) Cobalt Central under development on Plot 4 will provide a range of retail units anchored by Tesco and Greggs along with a hotel and Travel Centre.
As of February 2012 a new office building of 63,000 sq ft (5,852 sq m) will start construction together with 2 data centres (http://www.cobaltpark.co.uk/#/data-centres/current/)
Location[edit]
The park is located right next to the A19 which links directly to the A1 (a 10 minute drive to the north) and the Tyne Tunnel (a similar distance to the south) and only 6 miles east of Newcastle city centre. The Park also benefits from 5 access/egress points situated to the north, east and south of Cobalt Park. The accessibility to Cobalt Park is extremely easy for visitors or staff travelling by car, rail, air, bus, metro, cycling and walking.
Transport[edit]
Nexus, the Tyne & Wear Public Transport Executive, runs a high frequency bus service (Route 19, operated by Go North East) between the North Shields Metro station and the newly opened Northumberland Park Metro stations on the Tyne & Wear Metro system. North Shields was chosen as the nearest large town centre, and Northumberland Park for its Park & Ride facilities. Go North East also operate their services 309 and 310 from Newcastle through Cobalt and use silver buses branded as the 'Cobalt Clipper'. There are over 1,000 buses servicing the area with 458 direct bus journeys through the park. The park is located on one of the main Waggonways cycle routes. Waggonways is a network of cycle paths recently developed by North Tyneside Council and also benefits from a 39 acre country park with jogging and walking routes.
Cobalt more staff benefits package[edit]
The Cobalt more card and website (http://www.morecobalt.co.uk/) is an exclusive benefits package for staff and occupiers at Cobalt offering discounts, special offers, competitions, events, transport information and advice to help staff get to the park with ease!