Marches LEP backs Hereford site for enterprise zone bid

The Marches LEP agreed to put forward a bid focused on the Rotherwas Business Park, a 60 hectare site earmarked for the development of private-sector employment.

The bid was agreed at a meeting of the Marches LEP Board on Monday following a report from independent consultants engaged to assess possible Enterprise Zone (EZ) sites in the region.

The report concluded the Rotherwas site, with its focus on key business sectors including defence, held the best potential for the Marches to achieve EZ status.

Marches LEP Chairman Dr Geoffrey Davies OBE said the consultants had examined submissions from partners in Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire and Herefordshire to assess which was the most likely to succeed.

He said: “The LEP Board met last night and agreed to provide full backing to an Enterprise Zone bid for the Hereford site. An Enterprise Zone in our region will be a catalyst for creating sustainable employment and will be a key focus for our vision of creating the conditions for business growth across the Marches.

“Hereford is home to world-recognised Special Forces which has led to a growing cluster of associated defence-related businesses. We have also taken into account the key growing environmental technologies and advanced engineering sectors, as well as the benefits of the new direct road link to the A49 from Rotherwas and access to hi-speed wireless broadband, when making this decision.”

The report said key strengths of the Hereford site included strong private sector support, an established infrastructure and previous significant investment to prepare the site for development.

The majority of the Rotherwas site is owned by Herefordshire Council, with some of the land available immediately for development and all of the site available by early 2013.
Dr Davies added: “Unfortunately, the Government preference is that one site only goes forward to a full application for Enterprise Zone status and we believe the Hereford bid stands the greatest chance of success.

“If the Herefordshire bid is successful, the benefits of the zone will be used to support business enterprise across the LEP area. The consultants' report identified that there are supply chain opportunities for firms in the wider LEP area in terms of environmental technologies and advanced manufacturing, which we would hope would create additional private sector employment across the Marches.”

Enterprise Zones are designed to stimulate selected areas of the country through tax breaks and simplified planning regulations. The Chancellor announced plans for 21 EZs across England.

London plus ten city centre-based LEPs have already been invited to propose specific areas for Enterprise Zones and a further competitive process was launched on March 24 to invite all LEPS to propose a further ten zones.