Vince Cable expects Northampton ‘enterprise zone’ to create 10,000 new jobs
THE Government’s business secretary, Vince Cable, has said he expects more than 10,000 new jobs to be created in Northampton’s ‘enterprise zone’ over the coming years.
The MP visited the town yesterday to look round the 300-acre regeneration area which stretches from Sixfields to Bedford Road.
The Government backed the creation of the enterprise zone last year and it is hoped that tax breaks and eased planning regulations in the area will attract many new businesses to the town.
During his visit to see the area, Mr Cable said: “The authorities in Northampton have got some good plans for this enterprise zone, so I think eventually, there will be well beyond 10,000 new jobs created here.
“It will build gradually, but it will provide a real boost for the town.”
To build on the success of Northamptonshire-based companies such as Cosworth, Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines and Silverstone, the enterprise zone has been set up with the aim of attracting more top-flight engineering companies to the town.
Mr Cable said: “This area has a number of really good high performance engineering firms.
“I’ve been to Northampton to visit Cosworth’s factory in the past and if we can attract more businesses like that, there’s a great future for the area.”
As well as touring the enterprise zone and meeting council officials at the Guildhall, the Liberal Democrat MP also looked round the new village of Upton and spoke to young builders working on the development.
He said: “I think Upton is looking very nice.
“It’s a very imaginative development with a real sense of community.
“And it’s also creating jobs for young people in the building trade, which has to be welcomed.”
Planning permission for the first development in Northampton’s enterprise zone was granted by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) earlier this month.
The scheme will see a six-storey, glass cube built opposite the town’s railway station at a cost of £6.5 million.
The cube will be used by new businesses, including ones created as a result of research at the University of Northampton.
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Comments
There are 21 comments to this article
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Common sense
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 04:02 PMTony--Beyond politics--- Heseltine has a very successful business empire and regenerated Liverpool when other believed it couldn't be done. Experience. We need successful people to help grow northampton in the classic economic sense --where every one benefits--and the riches created in turn for local councils can then be spent on services --mainly to the benefit of the less well off. That's not happening right now and Northampton is too dependant on the state coffers and we all know how those are--but even Northampton can do something about that through the the Governments New Homes Bonus Scheme
Tony Clarke
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 01:39 PMHeseltine, a great man in my eyes as he was the key architect of Thatchers downfall, and did little for Major image either. A kind of "Tory Assassin" I would guess but at 77 I think we should let him enjoy his retirement. The problem with the "big debate" suggestion is that these are hijacked by the three big parties to the exclusion of any alternative thought and instead of being creative they end up being destructive as each scores points off of the others. We are desperate for leaders but I am afraid the current stock are simply officer fodder and wont rock the boat to upset either their political masters, the government or the officer class who should be serving them. Any Northampton politician worth their salt would start with insisting on a Unitary Authority for the town and would campaign for fairer funding even if it was against their own party. I take a viewat present that the party politicians have had their chance and had their say and we are still in the mess they created. Its time for people power and for polticians to listen not preach. Perhaps we should have the Cllrs and leaders in the audience and real representatives of the people on the platform!
Common sense
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 01:04 PMTony--what I'd like to see is the Chron (?) host a "Question Time" type debate focusing on our three MPs, the Leaders of NCC and NBC and question them as to what they are doing for Northampton to grow and prosper-what is their vision-after all they are supposed to be running things or at least creating the environment for things to happen. There should be an audience of national business leaders (and I don't mean those local ones who cosy up to our local politicians) to pose questions on regeneration, infrastructure, enterprise, wealth creation, housing, education standards, and why the JCS (the future map for growth, THE KEY document, in and around Northampton) is still not finished some 8 years after it started? Perhaps we could have Ikea and MK Dons and the Leader of MK Council (ouch) present to offer the alternative perspective. Equally we could have Ilmor and Cosworth to talk up their reasons for being here (answer people and skills). If properly managed the outcome of this debate could be put into a promotional CD for Northampton and available free online to help the place.It could be broadened to incorporate NCCs Enterprise Zone along the A43 and Silverstone. My ideal Chairman would be " local" resident Michael Heseline--who would be better qualified than him! Forget his party but look at his overall achievements and reputation as a businessman regenerator!
Tony Clarke
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:18 AMCoomon Sense: 1) The 3 year period is the important bit to stop transit shopsbusinesses 2) They may be forced to when the whole truth comes out ! 3) Glad that you agree 4) WNDC has been and is a complete failure and should go asap 5) The Joint Core Strategy can't be saved or implemented. Each Council is already having to relie on its existing local plans and it would take no time whatsover, using some of the work fro the JCS to refresh these. 6) The Market Square if managed right is our saviour. 7) I know at least one national developer who would be willing to put forward an alternative plan to extend the shopping offer using the Fish Market and land behind Boots and the Odean off of the Market Square to recreate an Emporiam Arcade and Lanes type development, but the Council only seem interested in talking to L&G 8) Glad you agree 9) Graduates leave because there is nothing on offer, my plan is to change that. 10) The key is Cross Party rather than dominated by one group trying to get one over another. We elect local Cllrs and we should make them work, Without WNDC and the NEP and the WNJPC they might just start to earn their expenses! And 11) wouldn't it be great if ideas like this were shared more widely in a feature in the Chron asking the Public what they would do? They could start with the above and invite wider participation. Who knows the politicians themselves might learn something?
Common sense
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 09:55 AMTony Clarke..Thanks for your contribution..and if I may take things forward from that. using your numbers. 1. The Enterprise Zone will offer discounted or reduced Rates anyhow from what I gather. Market forces will decide what rent free period if any is appropriate but unless the Councils own the property they can only influence Rates.2. You know as well as I do NCC will not abandon its plan re NEP but I agree it should find funding and support the Enterprise Zone in a display of unity rather than the "them and us" petty politics that currently prevail. 3. Agree that empty Council property could be used in that manner but Retail Location is very important.4. WNDC does a better job of extracting funds from Central Government than any Local Council will ever do due to petty politicians 5. The Joint Core Strategy should be completed and implemented (otherwise the Councils have wasted millions of pounds ) now. This plan started life in 2004 but because local councilors find ,particulary house building, in their wards, politically unpalatable, they have baulked and the inevitable. More eveidence of real weak political leadership.To start from scrath would take at least another five years --because there is no plan that is why the Saints, Cobblers, Legal & General are afraid to submit Planning Applications as they do not want to waste money. Why has it taken 8 years to get where we are today on the Local Development Plan Joint Core Strategy (callit what you will) ? Because of weak political leadership and vested political interests. If any business each one of the Directors (in our case Councillors) would have been sacked 6 years ago. 6. You have to be joking. NBC should sel the Market to an enterprise capable of making it something Northampton can be proud of. Apart from cheap veg most of the stuff sold there is tat. That is not to say a sucessful market would price the best traders our of business-quite the opposite.Success breeds success. 7. Like it or not Northampton is not the most attractive proposition for developers Investment funds.Its perceived as "Can't Do Town" and our nemisis MK is down the road , nearer London with better infrastructure, a "Can Do Council" ,and ambition--none of which we have. I imagine we're stuck with L&G who I do believe will build out the enlarged Grosvenor Centre (because they have said so and I would believe their announcements everytime over a politicians of any nature) . 8. Self Build of Council land sold at viable prices to individuals is a good idea. 9. Graduates leave because there's no jobs and its hardly the nicest place in the world to settle down, standard of Education whilst improving is still low even by comparision to our surrounding Counties . 10. The last thing the town needs is another political committee of incapable parochial politicians.
HOS
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 12:59 AMI find this failed business model of building: spec' offices, spec' industrial units, and spec' enterprise parks to be ridiculous. I drive past spec' offices and business parks on my way into Birmingham along the A45 that are still empty 15 years after they were built. This concept of building some units and (under current market conditions and the state of shock of individuals and commerce generally) new business will just start up out of thin air and rent these buildings. Does anyone in Parliament know the banks are still not lending to small or medium sized businesses? Banks are driving the recession deeper, this is not a new concept, they have been in the driving seat of the recession since it first started. No one believes the moronic comments from central government about a 2nd recession starting for goodness sake. It didnt end for a 2nd one to start. The policy of throwing money at new building developments in the hope that new businesses will move in has bankrupted the private pension funds in the last 25 years. It does not work............It is historically a proven failed system.
Tony Clarke
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 01:08 PM1) 6 months free rent and rates for new companies opening up in Northampton who sign a 3 year deal 2) NCC to withdraw the £2m wasted on NEP each year and use it to as joint budget with the town centre partnership to improve the Town Centre.3) Use council property to provide "pop up shops" for young entrepreneurs 4) close WNDC early and give the saved money to the three councils ring fenced for economic development 5) Scrap the joint core strategy and let councils planning departments do what is best for the towns they serve 6) Let the Market Traders redesign the Market Square as they want, to improve tradefootfall 7) NBC to be honest on the L&G deal and if it's not working set clear deadlines and invite competing developers to put up alternative plans 8) A scheme to let young people be involved in building their own new homes using empty properties and derelict land. 9) work with Northampton University to build post graduate accommodation and facilities to stop the drain of newly qualified youngsters leaving the town after uni 10) Set up a cross party committee to drive forward important developments i.e. SaintsCobblers and the Grovesnor Centre. I have more if you want them Common Sense?
Common sense
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 09:03 AMLots of doubters here. if you know better then give up to 10 points to achieve enterprise or economic growth--starting with Tony Clarke:-
pitsford
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 06:50 PMLax rules, deferred taxes, subsidies by the bucket load. This is communism. Will they allow child labour and barrack dormitories? I'm betting the development will follow the pattern of all such experiments round the world: sharp characters will invent companies, hire apprentices, bank all the credits and subsidies overseas, and close up within 18 months leaving a cash-devouring hole in the ground for Northants to pay for. Sorry to sound negative, but it's be done again and again.
mojo
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 06:04 PMObvious really car sharing.
KevSmith
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 05:17 PMwhere are these 10,000 gonna park their cars, who will try and get in to town during the rush ??, and this glass cube carbuncle will really fit in with local architecture, IF I WANT TO LIVE IN MILTON KEYNES I WILL MOVE THERE - STOP BEING SOMETHING YOU AINT NORTHAMPTON...NORTHAMPTON HAS FAR MORE HISTORY THAN THAT CONCRETE JUNGLE - WORK ON THAT FOR YOUR MODERN ARCHETECTURE, MAKE IT FIT IN, NOT STAND OUT AND LOOK HIDEOUS !!
HOS
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 04:59 PMWill this enterprise zone create more full time jobs for the unemployed to work for free while claiming JSA. Genius and yet so transparent policy of the Condems to force the kids to help the recovery of private UK companies and the private sector recovery by working for free. What minimum wage? Surely this creates unfair competiton in the EU with UK private companies using free staff? Government subsidising private companies is against EU law isnt it?
HOS
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 04:52 PMCreating jobs for young people in the building trade? 2600 constuction companies went bust last year and more forecast this year. The Building industry is still going down and forecast to continue going down for the next few years. But hey what would an MP know about building? and getting his hands dirty in a proper job? Best train all these young people up for jobs that arent going to be there hey? another kick in the teeth.
Tony Clarke
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 04:28 PMIs that an additional 10,000 to add to the 184,900 already promised by politicians and quangos already? see http:tonyclarkeindependent.blogspot.com201109get-on-your-hype-and-find-new-job.html
mojo
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 02:40 PMVery important to create tax breaks for firms who commit to taking on young people for apprenticeships, this way when the country starts to recover we will have tradesmen and women ready to take on the jobs instead of having to rely on workers coming from abroad.
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