RaisE: the Rail Accelerator & Innovation Solutions Hub for Enterprise, the business centre at the heart of the new Rail Village in Goole, East Yorkshire
An update from Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE), the University of Birmingham.
What is RaisE?
Project RaisE is a unique partnership between the public sector: East Riding of Yorkshire, industry: Siemens Mobility and academia: the University of Birmingham, to develop an ecosystem, a ‘Rail Village’, in Goole to support the UK’s rail industry and deliver the railway of the future.
The RaisE Business Centre is Phase 1 of the RaisE programme and is at the heart of this new Rail Village. The vision is to create the space for collaboration, innovation and build a business community that is well prepared and positioned to make the most of the opportunities in the rail sector.
RaisE Business centre is in the final stage of development with the final stage being the opening of the communal public cafe in June.
The RaisE doors have opened to its first tenants. The meeting rooms and conference space are seeing a steady stream of bookings and delegates. Siemens Mobility have moved into their new state of the art, technically advanced offices that occupy the whole of the top floor of the three-storey building. The University of Birmingham has two offices on the first floor, one of which is a large multipurpose classroom, conference and meeting room for up to 30 people; and a second space, a management office next door.
Throughout the rest of the centre there are 3 meeting rooms (for up to 10 people each), a conference space (for up to 80 delegates), and 26 Grade A offices (mixed sizes with space for 4 to 10 people) and 4 workshops on the ground floor with external private access doors, all available on flexible easy, one month rental terms. Offices and workshop spaces are available to SMEs.
The design of this building follows a well-trodden path that has seen 8 other similar multipurpose buildings established in the East Riding area. Each floor has a communal kitchen and on the ground floor there will be a welcoming café giving plenty of opportunity for conversation and collaboration. There is ample parking on site and the reception is open from 07:30 until 17:30hrs Monday to Thursday, 17:00 on Fridays.
With great direct motorway links, RaisE is very accessible via the M1 and the M62 (J36), with quick links to: Doncaster (be there within 30 minutes); York, Sheffield and Derby (1 to 1.5 hours away); Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle (2 to 2.5 hours).
Goole Railway Station is well connected to Hull, Scarborough, Doncaster, Sheffield, Birmingham (2.25 hours), Derby (1.5hours), Manchester (2.5 hours), London (2.5 hours) and Newcastle (2.25 hours).
Why be involved?
With the opportunity to grow your business in a collaborative, supported and connected environment, there are many reasons why you and your company will benefit from being part of RaisE. This business hub will be vibrant, buzzing with activity, events and innovation, allowing for opportunities for partnership and business development.
The RaisE Business Centre is the ninth building of its type to be designed, built and operated by the East Riding Council. Project RaisE is interconnected with the other East Riding business hubs in the key towns of East Yorkshire. The other centres attain an 80% occupancy rate, which has been maintained throughout the Covid pandemic.
RaisE tenants will enjoy the support of the East Riding Council who have a team of business, workforce and skills advisors. You will also have access to the Supply Chain Network (East Riding Council) and the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE). You will have the opportunity to work with the team of experts from BCRRE, as well as being able to access and participate in education and CPD delivery sponsored by the university. The University of Birmingham is the lead partner in the United Kingdom Railway Research Innovation Network (UKRRIN) and also includes within the University of Birmingham ‘Family’ the National College for Advanced Transportation and Infrastructure (NCATI) with one of its sites just down the road in Doncaster
Significantly, RaisE is located opposite the new £200m Siemens Train Factory, which is due to open in 2023. The RaisE building is also neatly positioned between other existing OEMs including Talgo in Fife, Scotland; Hitachi in Newton Aycliffe; Alstom in Derby and CAF in Newport, Wales.
Goole, with its ‘J36’ investment and vision has impressive multi-modal access as the UK’s most inland port and direct access to the motorway, rail and inland waterway networks.
Want to find out more?
If you would like to learn more about renting office, workshop and conference space or meeting rooms, please contact Amanda Hoggart at Amanda.Hoggart@eastriding.gov.uk or the RaisE team at raise@eastriding.gov.uk
At the Rail Village there is also the opportunity to develop land and have freeport space. If you would like to know more about this, please contact Bekki Banks at Bekki.Banks@eastriding.gov.uk
The University of Birmingham will be holding events at RaisE. If you would like to be included on the guest list, please contact Abi Broadley (working on behalf of BCRRE) at Abi@abibroadley.com or Rob Hopkin, Head of SME Engagement at BCRRE at R.Hopkin@bham.ac.uk
