Milligan’s head of marketing Tarah Gear was invited to talk during UKREiiF in Leeds last month as part of a panel entitled Creating Rural Powerhouses.

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Chaired by Robert Thorburn, partnership director at Openreach the panel also included Peter Bachmann, MD of Sustainable Infrastructure at Gresham House and Nicola Lloyd, Director of Trade and Investment at Cornwall Trade and Investment.

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Tarah spoke about the Gateway proposition and the benefits that the zero carbon travel hub would bring to the destination and community as a whole.

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“There’s a deep purpose to why the Gateway exists in the first place – the education available and the zero carbon travel hub will protect the national park, whilst simultaneously opening up access to more diverse visitor groups.”

Tarah also spoke about the Gateway’s maxim ‘a regenerative enterprise’ :

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“We need to think much longer term, and design for future versions of the Gateway with a plan for what happens when the uses for the buildings change in accordance with what community and society need at that time.

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“We will become a good ancestor. This will all be delivered through partnership working with Chesterfield Borough Council, the Peak District National Park Authority the University of Derby and attractions like Chatsworth.

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“There will be a mix of occupiers and brands you all recognise, all breaking their own rules to be aligned with ambitious ESG plans.”