A scheme to help businesses to grow and innovate has delivered nearly 250 jobs and £9m of investment in just two years.
The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Space to Innovate Enterprise Zone will turn two years old this month and the organisation has said the programme is on target for job creation.
Ten sites across Norfolk and Suffolk form the zone and offer new and expanding businesses discounted business rates, simplified planning and access to superfast broadband. In two years, these sites have become home to 56 companies, creating 247 new jobs and attracting more than £9m in investment as well as 1,015 construction jobs.
In the 25-year lifetime of the zone, the LEP, working with its local authority and government partners, aims to create 18,500 jobs, including 5,000 by 2021.
Doug Field, chairman of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: 'Inward investment plays a key part in Norfolk and Suffolk's offer to the world, one of the themes of our Economic Strategy.
'Our enterprise zones are a vital part of that offer. Each site offers a range of benefits to new and expanding businesses, but also opportunities to take advantage of high quality infrastructure and clusters of industry sector expertise.
'I'm delighted to see these sites allowing local businesses to grow. These sites have already delivered excellent results for job creation and private investment, with the promise of much more to come.'
Beverage ingredient manufacturer Treatt has been granted planning permission to relocate and expand its global headquarters to a new 10-acre site at Suffolk Park in Bury St Edmunds. Daemmon Reeve, chief executive at Treatt, said: 'The new site will enable us to showcase science at the front end of the business and attract the sort of customers and staff we need to drive our business forward in the future.'
Jason Thorarinsson, founder of Sidekick Digital, which moved into the King's Lynn Innovation Centre (KLIC) on the Nar Ouse Business Park in July 2017, said moving into the site had made day-to-day business easier.
'We could move straight in, get set up and working straight away' he said. 'It's also raised our profile with potential clients and improved our network with other digital businesses here at KLIC.'
Chris Pont and John Nicholson are joint-founders and directors at digital consultants IJYI.
The company moved into the new Connexions building in Ipswich's Princes Street Office District in November.
Mr Pont said: 'Initially we didn't think we could afford to move – this is grade A office space – but the Enterprise Zone benefits really helped. We've got some ambitious growth plans over the next 18 months – now we have the space to grow our business.'
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