West Norfolk Chamber Council has called for Enterprise Zone status to be awarded to a King’s Lynn scheme that could deliver thousands engineering and manufacturing jobs.
Heather Garrod, President of West Norfolk Chamber said:
“Being awarded Enterprise Zone status would bring many benefits to the local business community: King’s Lynn would become a leading centre for manufacturing and engineering; 2,200 engineering and manufacturing jobs could be created; and overall it will help boost economic growth in West Norfolk.”
A proposal for the Nar Ouse Business Park on the outskirts of King’s Lynn is thought to be among a number of proposals from the East of England that could be considered by central Government. At present the body handling the proposals was unable to confirm whether the NORA proposal will be taken to the next stage for ‘Enterprise Zone’ status. But Alistair Beales, who chaired the King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council’s cabinet meeting last night, said: “The proposal does bring forward the possibility of development on this site even closer.”
A report was presented to Councillors which explained about the bid. Councillors also noted that the proposal would see improvements in the surrounding infrastructure, with a road linking the area of Nar Ouse Way with Hardwick Road.
New Anglia LEP are in overall charge of the application from the eastern region were unable to confirm if the NORA proposal would be submitted to Government next Friday. It also would not reveal other sites being considered in our region as it was ‘a nationwide competitive process’.
Chris Starkie, Managing Director of New Anglia LEP said:“Over recent weeks we have been asking councils across Norfolk and Suffolk to put forward sites for potential inclusion in a new Enterprise Zone bid. We have been assessing those sites against our Strategic Economic Plan, their potential for innovation and the government’s own criteria. As this is a nationwide competitive process we will not be revealing any further details until the bid is submitted.”
The proposal for the NORA site in King’s Lynn is part of the second wave of the scheme, which New Anglia LEP announced in July.
