Coventry and Warks misses out on Enterprise bid

[dutchman]

Coventry and Warwickshire has failed in a bid to become one of the government’s new Enterprise Zones.



Local councils and business leaders put forward a scheme to create a manufacturing park near Coventry Airport for Enterprise Zone status.

It would have meant they would have been able to charge lower rents and bring in super-fast broadband to try to tempt new businesses to move there.

The project is part of the £250 million pound regeneration of land in and around Coventry Airport, which also includes improvements to the A45 at Tollbar Island.

Chairman of Coventry and Warwickshire LEP, Denys Shortt said the news was a “setback” :

“We believe our proposal – with the creation of 14,000 jobs – was very strong. We will continue to make it happen without the EZ.

“We have not yet heard the details of how the ten winning bids were decided. For our part there was a tremendous amount of work done by a great many people.

“We have a very strong LEP, which is admired and respected nationally for the work that we are doing.

“We will continue to focus on building the Coventry and Warwickshire economy and removing barriers to growth.

“These are not easy economic times and there is a real job for us to do for the remainder of 2011 and beyond.”

There was much better news for motor testing centre MIRA on the Warwickshire/Leicestershire border – it is one of 10 national projects to be awarded Enterprize Zone status.

It is hoped the decision will create 800 new jobs at the technology park by 2015.

Local MP Marcus Jones is delighted:

“This announcement is fantastic news and just the sort of positive stuff we need for Nuneaton – this technology park will create a substantial number of high tech highly skilled jobs right on our doorstep, and we must now do all we can locally to make sure that our people have access to the training and skills that employers on this site will require.

“There is a serious need to rebalance our economy in the country and having an Enterprise Zone here is a sign that locally we are leading the way to help create new jobs.

“In supporting this project I was assured that MIRA were looking to other areas and countries to bring new firms to our area which will be so positive for us here in Nuneaton, particularly for those small and medium sized businesses who will play a major role in supplying goods and services to the businesses drawn to the area.

“I know a lot of hard work has gone into the bid and I would like to congratulate all those involved and wish the Enterprise Zone every success.”