Pickles endorses £300m MIRA development
Planning approval for the 1.5 million sq ft MIRA technology park scheme has been endorsed by local government secretary Eric Pickles. The site's chief executive Dr George Gillespie told Insider his team was now in discussions with several companies interested in relocating to the site to take advantage of European market opportunities.
The MIRA development will create what is being hailed as Europe’s "most advanced" independent transport technology hub within the newly-created enterprise zone on Leicestershire and Warwickshire’s border.
The 850-acre development, which is estimated will create more than 2,000 jobs, is part of advanced transport engineering, research and test organisation MIRA’s plans to triple its turnover within the next ten years by attracting inward investment from emerging markets including China, India and Brazil.
The relevant local planning authorities (Hinckley & Bosworth and North Warwickshire Borough Councils) were notified of Pickles' decision to place the £300m development on track to break ground by the end of 2012 – start of 2013.
Research and development giant MIRA said the development will make its existing offer to global transport technology businesses "even more attractive" to occupiers and investors. Businesses moving into the site will benefit from tax breaks and access to super-fast broadband after it secured enterprise zone status during the autumn.
Gillespie told Insider: "The technology park and our new state-of-the-art engineering headquarters are fundamental to our on-going expansion plans – so the secretary of state's decision was crucial.
"Once consent has been granted we can now press ahead with the development of our new facilities and continue our dialogue with those companies who have expressed a desire to relocate here in order to penetrate the European market."
MIRA was recently awarded close to £20m of Regional Growth Funding to assist with the road infrastructure improvements that will serve the new development and facilitate the early phases of development.
Development director Andy Macdonald added: "MIRA targets a highly specialised customer base and the business’ unique spectrum of facilities, testing and consultancy services - plus the opportunity to occupy the new, bespoke buildings that will now be developed here have created an exceptionally strong demand from both international and domestic companies.
"MIRA's existing technology park has been at capacity for some time – being home to over 32 world-class automotive firms including Jaguar Land Rover and Toyota, so receiving the green-light for a much wider development will ensure we have the facilities to match our capabilities over the next 30 years."
