Failure of enterprise zone bid ‘a setback’

Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership had submitted a proposal they said could create 14,000 jobs on sites at Whitley and the airport.

The partnership was working with the airport’s owner Sir Peter Rigby and had the support of Warwick district, Rugby borough and Coventry city councils - but the scheme was not among those announced today (Wednesday) which included enterprise zones at the Motor Industry Research Institute (MIRA)at Hinckley, Leicestershire and in Hereford and Stoke.

The 21 zones now announced by the Government will benefit from relaxed planning rules, a five-year business rate waiver and superfast broadband.

Enterprise partnership chairman Denys Shortt said: “Of course we are disappointed and the news comes as a setback to the LEP and Coventry and Warwickshire.

“We believe our proposal – with the creation of 14,000 jobs – was very strong. We will continue to make it happen without the enterprise zone.”

Louise Bennett, chief executive of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said the plans had made “total sense”, adding “This is a development which had been drawn up before it became an enterprise zone bid and I am sure all partners involved will be determined to see move forward.”

Warwickshire County Council and the LEP welcomed the MIRA bid’s success and say they remain committed to a Coventry and Warwickshire ‘gateway’ site with improvements to A45, A46 and Toll Bar Island - albeit over a longer timescale.

Cllr Alan Cockburn (Con, Kenilworth St John’s) said: “We will be working to explore options of how this could still progress, and remain confident that an alternative approach can be undertaken that would enable us to achieve many of its original ambitions.”