Cumbria LEP is keen to keep you informed about current activities and to encourage the active involvement of the Cumbrian business community.
Taking up the opportunity announced in the 2011 Budget, Cumbria LEP has submitted an Expression of Interest for an Enterprise Zone for Cumbria.
The Expression of Interest, “Fuelling the Future”, is for a Britain’s Energy Coast Low Carbon/Energy Enterprise Zone, made up of two sites – at Barrow Waterfront in Furness and Lillyhall in West Cumbria.
Commenting on the proposed Enterprise Zone, LEP Interim Chair George Beveridge says
“We believe that a Low Carbon/Energy Enterprise Zone presents an unparalleled opportunity for the growth of the economy of Cumbria as a whole and for Cumbria to contribute significantly to national economic growth. It would enable us to fully exploit the opportunities offered by Low Carbon/Energy – the single greatest opportunity for Cumbria’s future aspirations to grow its economy within the county and internationally, unlocking job creation, catalysing skills transfer, kick starting regeneration and supporting movement to the higher wage economy.
Two sites within one Zone are proposed in order to target opportunities in different growth sectors of the energy market: Lillyhall for nuclear and low carbon related technologies and Barrow Waterfront for offshore renewable energy generation and gas storage, building upon clusters of existing specialist companies by attracting and developing new business activity in a national growth sector. This will allow for better targeting of inward investment opportunities, exploiting Cumbria’s competitive advantage.
This is a competitive process with only 10 Zones available (adding to the 11 announced in the Budget) so it’s not certain that we will get an Enterprise Zone here in Cumbria, but we believe this proposal represents our best chance of success.”
The LEP is now moving forward with a full bid, which is to be submitted by the end of June.