Temple Quarter to get EZ status by summer - Skellett
By Claire Stapleton, South West Correspondent
Temple Quarter in Bristol has been selected as an enterprise zone site by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). And Colin Skellett, chairman of the LEP, told Insider he expects the proposal, which was submitted to government on Thursday (2 June), to be granted approval by the end of summer.
Skellett said: "We will have some discussions with government to discuss the financial model that goes with this but we are not expecting government to say no - we expect the government to agree this. It's not going to happen tomorrow, but we're looking at months, not years and the expectation is that we'll get all of this signed off by the end of the summer."
Temple Quarter covers 173 acres of land surrounding the Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station.
According to the LEP there will be a particular focus on attracting creative industries and technology. High speed and pervasive digital connectivity will also be a central feature of the zone, it added.
Initial estimates suggest that potentially more than 250 businesses could be accommodated in the zone and that its redevelopment could lead to the creation of almost 17,000 new jobs over a 25-year period.
There is expected to be 2.6 million sq ft of refurbished space in the zone, featuring offices, research and development floorspace and retail.
Meanwhile five other places have been given 'enterprise area' status by the LEP that is said will bring benefits and make it easier for developments to take place. The LEP said this would ensure economic growth across the whole of the sub-region.
Skellett said: "We set ourselves the task of removing the barriers to the creation of new jobs and the government gave us the opportunity to do that, in part, by creating an enterprise zone.
"It brings a number of advantages to businesses by reducing both the amount of planning red tape and the cost of their rates. But it also generates benefits for the area as a whole since we are able to retain the business rates that are generated which can be used to improve the other five areas we have identified."
The enterprise areas will be in Avonmouth/Severnside; Bath City Riverside; Emersons Green/Science Park; Filton/A38; and the Weston Regeneration Area.
The board said it has also agreed measures to ensure that the enterprise zone will not be given an unfair advantage over the surrounding area.
Skellett said: "We will be putting in place marketing arrangements which will minimise competition between locations and to ensure a complementary offer is established for inward investment across the entire West of England and we will ensure there is a non competition or enticement clause to prevent poaching.
"Creation of an enterprise zone and enterprise areas is a major step forward for the West of England. They will be a major attraction to a wide range of businesses who are currently not operating in the West of England and, as a result, we expect to see significant inward investment, create new jobs and economic growth."
