The partnerships with purpose series: Building links between the UK and Israel

HBD has long valued the power of partnerships. Collaborations help us deliver much needed new communities, homes and workspaces by fusing our expertise with other industry pioneers, and in new series, we’re exploring the partnerships we’ve formed with likeminded organisations across the country.

In this article, we hear from Phil Clement of GFirst LEP, with whom we recently travelled to Tel Aviv for the CyberTech 2023 conference – an opportunity to showcase our plans for the Golden Valley in Cheltenham.

HBD – alongside partners Cheltenham Borough Council and Factory – is currently working on plans for a new community in Cheltenham. Known as Golden Valley – a DLUHC Garden Community – it will bring up to 12,000 new jobs, over 1,000 homes and 1 million square feet of commercial space to the region.

This month, as well as engaging with the local community through a series of public consultations, we have also spent time in Israel, helping to promote the scheme to international audiences.

Our time in Israel – a world leading country in cyber – was predominantly spent at Cybertech – a global event attracting government officials and leading decision-makers from a wide range of sectors to meet with key players from the world’s cyber industry. “Israel has a long tradition of tech innovation as well as a strong appetite to take their products international,” explains Phil Clement.

In his role at GFirst, Phil is tasked with seeking out new investors and promoting Gloucestershire’s vibrant offering to those in cyber and tech sectors. He continues: “This trip was a great opportunity to be a part of that, forging new relationships and meeting people who want to be a part of the new ecosystem at Golden Valley.”

Among the many highlights of the trip was a breakfast hosted by the British Embassy, at which Phil, HBD colleagues and other partners presented more details on Golden Valley.

The Tel Aviv trip was fruitful and an opportunity to showcase the vision for this future neighbourhood – and the place for international partners within it. If you’re intrigued and want to find out more about our plans and register your interest in for Golden Valley, click here.