Aire Valley Enterprise Zone, West Yorkshire’s flagship economic site, last week announced a pipeline of forthcoming development stretching into 2015 and beyond.

There is an estimated 190,000 sq. ft. of floorspace currently under construction on the Zone, with a new facility for packaging firm Watershed due to be completed early next year.

The company, who specialise in producing labels, sleeves, machinery and custom tape, will eventually employ around 40 people. Their customers include a variety of household names including Haribo, Starbucks, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

It was announced that development on another 135,000 sq. ft. of the Zone is also close to being agreed, with tenants likely to be announced in the new year.

The news was welcomed by Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for development and the economy.

“The upsurge in development activity has been fuelled by growing business confidence during 2013,” said Lewis.

“It has enabled a number of deals to progress, which will provide good quality employment space for manufacturing companies and allow them to grow their businesses within the enterprise zone.

“Despite the tough economic conditions over the last couple of years, the enterprise zone is living up to expectations with two construction projects already on site and a strong pipeline of development now coming forward.”

Construction on a new £180 million recycling and energy facility for French firm Veolia will also begin on the site next year. Expected to be operational by 2016, the plant will eventually produce around 11MW of electricity, enough to power 20,000 homes.