United Leeds Endeavours was pleased to learn that a new business enterprise zone has
officially opened for business in Leeds.
The Aire Valley Leeds
Enterprise Zone was launched at the beginning of the week by Leeds City Region
LEP in partnership with Leeds City Council. Based along the route of the East
Leeds Link Road, the 142 hectare site is designed to be an area where
businesses can settle with huge incentives. United Leeds Endeavours, a direct marketing
and sales company based in the city centre, understands that analysts predict
that the zone will create an additional £550m of activity in the area by 2025 and
create up to 7,000 jobs.
What is a Enterprise
Zone? Leader of Leeds City Council, Keith Wakefield, explains. “The enterprise
zone will provide a focus for businesses and a powerful incentive for them to
invest in the region.” United Leeds Endeavours learnt that the huge area
already has planning permission for a wide-range of activity, including large-scale
manufacturing, grade A office space and distribution. The incentives include
reduced business rates worth up to £275,000 over five years, a business support
programme and fast track planning permission.
Development director
David Wells said that the area is ideally placed with “excellent transport
links and a close proximity to the M1 and Leeds City Centre…[it] will provide
an ideal location for companies in healthcare, low carbon manufacturing,
renewable energy, waste management, logistics and distribution.”
A spokesperson for United Leeds Endeavours said that the company believes that this is just the next step towards
Leeds becoming the premier business region in the North of England. “We have a huge technology funding expo going on in the next couple of months and now
the enterprise zone. Businesses have got every reason to pick Leeds as their
home of choice with these fantastic incentives. We’re hopeful that this is
the beginning of a new era of huge success for the region.”
