Lancs submits BAE sites as Enterprise Zone bid

A BID backed by some of the Lancashire’s biggest employers have been put forward as the county’s Enterprise Zone site by the Local Economic Partnership.

It is proposing the BAE Systems sites at Samlesbury and Warton should be among the next round of enterprise zones supported by government incentives to kick start economic growth.

Edwin Booth, chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, said: “The advanced engineering and manufacturing industry is already among Lancashire’s economic strengths, employing thousands of people in some internationally-renowned facilities.

“By definition it is an industry that must move with the times and this bid aims to ensure Lancashire is at the heart of pioneering the next wave of technological advances.

“The board feels it is an excellent bid that measures up well against the criteria the government will consider. We must exercise a note of caution however, because it will be up against stiff competition.”

There are expected to be upwards of 30 bids for enterprise zones from across the country, with a maximum of 10 likely to be approved. Cheshire & Warrington and Cumbria are likely to submit their own Enterprise Zone bids, while Manchester and Liverpool were awarded Enterprise zones in the first round of awards.

Steve Fogg, Director of Integrated Services at BAE Systems, said: “We believe the proposal we have submitted provides the opportunity to further link two key industrial sites that span Lancashire and, building on existing skills and capabilities coupled with working alongside other companies in the region, presents the potential to generate high value jobs in the future.”

The Government is expected to announce which bids have been successful later this summer.