Businesses sign up to boost Northern Powerhouse as jobs figures are revealed

Posted on 9 November 2016 · Posted in News

Northern Powerhouse Minister Andrew Percy today signed an agreement to make Lancashire LEP the first Local Enterprise Partnership to officially become a Northern Powerhouse ‘partner’.

At an event held at Burnley FC’s Turf Moor stadium today, Mr Percy called on other businesses to pledge their support to the Northern Powerhouse to promote jobs, growth and prosperity across the region.

It comes as new figures today show that across the North, nine Enterprise Zones have attracted £1.3bn of private sector investment over the past four years and around 9,000 jobs. The original nine Zones are in Daresbury, the Humber, Lancashire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, the North East and Tees Valley.

Eight more Enterprise Zones are now just to start across the North by April 2017.

 

Northern Powerhouse Minister Andrew Percy said:

“Building the Northern Powerhouse is central to our plans to create an economy that works for everyone.

“We’re backing the North with the investment and powers it needs to fulfil its huge untapped potential and I’m pleased to see businesses here, working alongside the Lancashire LEP, are pledging their support.

“Today’s figures show that Northern Powerhouse Enterprise Zones are attracting the skilled workers businesses need to help them take on the world with an extra 800 jobs in just three months –  and with eight more zones due to open for business by 2017, long may that continue.”

Businesses giving Northern Powerhouse thumbs up

By becoming a Northern Powerhouse Partner, Lancashire LEP has joined more than 30 other firms that who have signed up by pledging their support.  This network champion the North’s strengths, as well as promoting jobs and growth.

With record investments in transport, strong support for science and infrastructure schemes, and more than £2.8bn invested into locally determined projects through Growth Deals – the North is thriving.

Enterprise Zones are at the heart of this success and are centres of excellence – offering world-class infrastructure alongside financial incentives to help businesses grow.

Businesses moving to an Enterprise Zones also benefit from a range of tax breaks and local support, such as simplified planning, to help them grow – including business rate discounts worth up to £275,000 per business over five years.

Due to their success the government established five new Zones in the North in April, with three more due to start in April 2017, bringing the region’s total to 17.

Two of the new Zones created this year are in Lancashire, the new Blackpool Airport and Hillhouse EZs. Today at a ceremony in Blackpool, the Minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding with local partners to help accelerate development of the new Zones.