Enterprise Zones "crucial" in unlocking investment

Enterprise Zones are key to unlocking important regeneration opportunities in the region according to inward investment director at Leicester City Council, Helen Donnellan.

Speaking at a panel event at MIPIM yesterday (16 Mar), Donnellan said that Enterprise Zones played an important role in strengthening what Leicester has to offer businesses looking to invest as well as people looking to live and work in the city. 

“Enterprise Zones are an effective marketing tool that help to put cities onto the international agenda; they have a real impact and Leicester is very strong in this area. 

“We have both MIRA Technology Park, which is already an extremely successful model, and the Loughborough and Leicester Enterprise Zone that encompasses our waterside area, Loughborough University and Charnwood campus. 

“We want to create a city where people want to live, work and enjoy their leisure time in and Enterprise Zones play a really important role in that. We are putting in the infrastructure and housing provision that will allow for regeneration schemes to happen and create a vibrant city centre.

 

“We have three excellent universities in Leicestershire and a real focus for us is ensuring that those students who come through them want to stay in the area. We know that they love attending university here but there is an issue in terms of the jobs available to them after graduating and the effective use of Enterprise Zones will help us to address that. 

“Investing in businesses will create all-important jobs for young people and we are very clear on making that happen in Leicestershire.”

Donnellan joined a panel made up of Greg Jennings, director of regeneration, property and housing at Derby City Council, Cllr Abi Brown, deputy leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council and James Tracy, director at KPMG.

The Midlands Pavilion also hosted a presentation from Terry Spall of MIRA Technology Park and Dr Lucille Alexander from the University of Leicester.