Member Article

Eco-friendly development receives private backing

A County Durham businessman behind a successful residential education centre in France has given his backing to a ground-breaking, eco-friendly development in Weardale with plans to create a similar scheme on part of the Lafarge Cement UK land holding at Eastgate.

Peter Smith, the director of Chateau Beaumont, a Stanhope-based company which owns and operates an outdoor education and activity centre in Normandy, has outlined proposals for a new residential education centre at the proposed Eastgate Renewable Energy Village (www.weardale-works.co.uk). Chateau Beaumont’s plans could see children from across the UK coming to the region every year as part of their National Curriculum studies, learning about renewable energy and local history at the same time.

Peter Smith said: “Weardale would be a good geographical location and the proposed Eastgate scheme offers an exciting opportunity to link the National Curriculum to renewable energy, conservation and rural activities. The North East region, with its attractions and history, also offers wonderful opportunities for students and teachers to pursue and enhance their curriculum studies beyond the confines of the classroom.”

Experts believe Mr Smith’s backing of the eco-village scheme will create at least 350 sustainable jobs, including opportunities for other new and existing businesses.

John Holmes, director of regeneration at One NorthEast, said: “Peter’s support and plans for an education centre are very welcome – a private sector buy-in to the Eastgate site adds an exciting new dimension to the project. The overall Eastgate project has the potential to create hundreds of sustainable jobs for local people helping regenerate the economy in an area that was once the core of activity. The aim is to restore the buzz that once surrounded the old cement works and create a unique visitor attraction in the process to the benefit of people of Weardale and the wider region.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .