Pickles gives the thumbs up to Kiddy regeneration scheme

COMMUNITIES and local government secretary Eric Pickles has given his support to plans to create the South Kidderminster Enterprise Park.

Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership chairman Peter Pawsey has hailed Pickles’ backing as another leap forward for the brownfield development project which could create more than 5,000 jobs.

He said: “We are pleased that the secretary of state is very much behind our ambitions for this enormously important site.

“Our central objective is to create the right environment to encourage investment from new and existing businesses, to foster our own successes, build on our small number of large industrial companies, develop new industries from medium sized companies with global promise and help them grow.

“We believe Worcestershire has great untapped potential for economic growth and Kidderminster has a vital role to play in achieving this vision. We are extremely positive about our economy, its future prospects and our ability to create jobs.”

On a visit to the site Pickles met regional business leaders and representatives of Worcestershire LEP and watched as a long reach demolition machine took the first step to flattening silos at the former British Sugar site on Stourport Road. He was also presented with a copy of the local development order for the enterprise park.

“This is a wonderful example of how a coming together of agencies can meet the needs of a local economy,” he said.

“You have something to be proud of here. This is a very important part of the renaissance of Kidderminster. It will be a catalyst for change from the dependency on carpet manufacture.”

The site is set to be cleared, the soon-to-be-built Hoo Brook Link Road will provide access, and then a start will be made early next year on a mixed use scheme of houses, offices and factories.