Warehouse in Local Enterprise Area would like to see south Bristol included

City MP Dawn Primarolo has called on mayor George Ferguson to support a new enterprise area for south Bristol, which is something Central Park supports. We are located within the current Bristol enterprise area, and believe the scheme should be extended to benefit the entirety of Bristol.

The Labour MP made the call after learning that representatives from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership had been meeting with Treasury officials to develop the idea of a South Bristol Enterprise Area. However, this is missing from the LEP’s draft strategic economic plan. The Government plans to allow councils in the Bristol area to keep income generated from growth in business rates across five designated enterprise areas and the Temple Quarter enterprise zone during the next 25 years.

But Ms Primarolo, fears her constituency is missing out. She said: “The mayor has confirmed to me that he wants to link the new Filwood Green Business Park, Hengrove Park and other key development areas. But does his lack of enthusiasm mean that my constituents will miss out on new jobs? I would be very happy to work with the mayor to ensure that the benefits of growth are shared more fairly and the creation of an enterprise area would be a significant first step.”

Previously, in a letter to Ms Primarolo, Mr Ferguson refused to commit to a south Bristol enterprise area, which could benefit from the City Deal money and other initiatives to encourage employment. The City Deal is an agreement between Government, councils in the Bristol area and the West of England LEP to devolve more financial powers.

Under the proposal, the growth in business rates from enterprise areas across the area, plus the Temple Quarter ‘enterprise zone’ in Bristol, will be pooled and then reinvested locally. Currently, rates go into a central Government pot before being shared out across the country. The designated enterprise areas are Avonmouth, Severnside, Emersons Green, Filton, Bath City of Ideas and Junction 21, near Weston.

Source: Bristol Post