Worcestershire inward investment case presented to a Birmingham business audience

MORE than 90 business people attended the World Class Worcestershire event at Birmingham’s Hotel du Vin this week.

The roadshow event – which has already visited London – saw business leaders from Worcestershire present the county’s inward investment case to decision makers in the second city.

It was intended to attract developers and business investors, including those from the county’s main priority growth sectors: agri-tech, cyber, defence and IT and advanced manufacturing.

The event was sponsored by the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys. It was held in conjunction with TheBusinessDesk.com.

Speakers outlined infrastructure developments and the highly skilled workforce of the county as well as the support available to businesses.

They also detailed the range of development and investment opportunities ranging from city centre developments through to what are referred to as the county’s four game changer sites: Redditch Eastern Gateway, Malvern Hills Technology Park, and South Kidderminster Enterprise Park and Worcester Growth Corridor (now renamed Worcester Six).

Speakers at the event included Gary Woodman, executive director of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (WLEP) and Mike Ashton, chief executive of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Also speaking was Carl Arntzen, managing director of Worcestershire-based Bosch Thermotechnology and Clare Marchant, chief executive of Worcestershire County Council.

Introducing the event, Peter Pawsey, the outgoing chair of the LEP told the audience that Worcestershire had punched below its weight in economic terms but in recent years it had seen dramatic change.

“There is ten year economic plan and Worcestershire truly is open for business,” he said.

“It is a very exciting time with some great opportunities.”

Marchant from Worcestershire County Council said Worcestershire now has a level of ambition not seen five or ten years ago.

“All the partnerships are working well and that isn’t to be taken for granted,” she said.

“The ten year plan is vital. It was real turning point at the end of March last year when it was submitted.

“It is very active at the moment in terms of diggers and men in yellow vests but we are also developing a pipeline for the future and delivery of that is crucial.”

Ashton from the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce told the audience that Worcester Business Central has been set up to pull together all business support under one heading.

“This growth hub is something the Government has said is a good idea,” he said.

“Our job is to listen to businesses and to find out what they want and to try and deliver for those businesses.”

From a private employer perspective, Arntzen of Bosch Thermotechnology said: “What is really important to us is access to a good, ready workforce and we find that in the local area.

“There is a very strong further education sector in Worcestershire and we draw talent from a number of these and from the universities.

“Equally, access to land is also important and we’ve just moved into a new 120,000 sq ft warehouse near J6 of the M5.

“We’re in a fantastic location which is important for us for distribution purposes.”

Woodman from the LEP was the final speaker and he detailed a number of the key employment sites being developed or planned in the county.

“We’ve got key sites which we call game changers,” he said.

“Redditch Eastern Gateway will go in for planning this year and Kidderminster is also underway.

“Malvern Science Park is on to its next phase while Worcester Technology Park near junction six of the M5 is probably the best site between Birmingham and Bristol.

“Over the next 18 months we will be opening up a lot of sites.”

Woodman said Worcester Technology Park, in future to be known as Worcester Six, will be going in for planning in March.

The presentations from the event can be accessed here.

A short video outlining the attractions of Worcestershire can be accessed here.