A JD Sports creative producer and a former Bristol media executive have joined the board of a company looking to establish a £140m creative business park in Cornwall.
Community interest company ASONE has ambitions to redevelop a former airfield site in St Merryn near Padstow into a “world-class creative centre”.
Among the proposals for the privately-owned 130 acre estate are:
- a set of film studios within a “performance village”;
- a hotel and accommodation for those working at the park;
- an outdoor live venue for pop-up events;
- an aviation hub to preserve the history of the site, and cluster businesses developing new technology, including around unmanned flying vehicles;
- four film and sound stages;
- a heritage and visitor hub.
ASONE, which manages music education activities for children and young people throughout Cornwall, said initial development funding rounds had been “successful” and work on a set of music studios had begun.
Ahead of critical funding rounds and design, development and build stages of the extensive multi-use site, the group said it had added “heavyweight” experience to its board with the appointments of David Morris and Mike Bennett.
Mr Morris is the current head of video at fashion brand and retailer JD Sports. The documentary filmmaker and commercial and music video director’s previous clients include Disney, YouTube and BMW Group. ASONE said that Mr Morris, a former lecturer at Falmouth University, had worked on projects that have been nominated for an Academy Award and the International Independent Film Awards.
Mr Bennett is a former place making director at Bristol City Council and one of the co-founders of Bristol Media - now Bristol Creative Networks - one of the biggest organisations of its kind in the UK. ASONE said Mr Bennett had spent ”significant time” working with public bodies to develop strategies and initiatives to promote and develop creative industries.
The pair join a senior leadership team that also includes the landowner of the St Merryn site Jo Partridge, who also runs The Airfield recording studios, and Rob Simpson, of South West production company Nub Sound, which has helped managed touring shows for the likes of Sam Fender, Ed Sheeran and One Direction.
ASONE managing director Cindy Dalgleish said the latest additions to the board would help “consolidate” the project’s delivery team ahead of “critical” funding rounds as the project moves into the physical build stages.
Ms Dalgleish said: “Working as a tight-knit team, we have developed all of the architectural and site plans and have been continually building our networks and ambassadorial links around the preliminary start-up stages of the site for some months now. We have already gained critical initial development funding and now is the right time to bring in additional heavyweight experience from across the key creative sectors.”
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