One of the interesting things about working on IncredibleEdible Mytholm’s Growing Futures project is the way that people keep coming up with useful ideas.

The latest example is a suggestion that IncredibleEdible Mytholm look at what Tony Holditch and the Newlands Community Association have done at the Inspire Business Park in Bradford.

At a cost of £4m, Newlands Community Association have completed the fairly staggering task of building Europe’s largest straw bale, panel constructed building, along with a second straw bale building, that now provide 14 serviced offices and 14 managed workspaces.

Straw bale construction specialist ModCell put up the two buildings using 260 48cm-thick prefabricated timber frame/straw bale wall panels.

Straw bale Inspire Business Park building, photo credit: Inspire/NCA

Newlands Community Association own, manage and are based on the Inspire Business Park, which aims to redefine what a business park is. Their website says

“Inspire is a Bradford business park like no other. Offering 14 fully serviced offices and 14 flexible work spaces within two sustainable buildings, it is also a community facility providing training, education, care and social activities.”

To make this possible, NCA  secured grants of £3.009m, from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme in Yorkshire and The Humber (£1.019m), £1m the Communitybuilders Fund (£1m) and £990,000 from Bradford Council’s Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (£990,000). NCA also secured a £1m mortgage from The Charity Bank.

I think IEM are due for a trek over to Bradford fairly soon, in search of more inspiration and information for Growing Futures.