Shropshire Council have given the green light to a new 15-year programme to invest £50m in business parks across the region, aimed at significantly boosting the local economy.
Councillors approved the Business Park Programme at a full council meeting this week, with the plan designed to cater for local business growth and encourage start-ups and inward investment across Shropshire.
The work is set to be carried out in four phases.
It will support sustainable development by underpinning the role of towns in the region as key service and employment sectors. Four sites already under council ownership have been earmarked for investment and will kickstart the programme.
Phase one of the programme is expected to create 25 acres of serviced land and 270 jobs, as well as safeguarding a further 210 and helping stimulate growth in the local economy.
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council Deputy Leader and the council’s cabinet member for assets, economic growth and regeneration, was quoted by local press as having said: “I am delighted that we have backed the delivery of the Business Park Programme to be rolled out between 2020/21 and 2024/25.
“There is undoubtedly a huge demand from exciting, new Shropshire businesses at the cutting edge of new technology and skills – and we want to support them in any way we can going forward.
“This is a flexible programme and will provide up to 30 hectares of serviced employment land to meet local business and inward investment needs over the next 15 years.
“We expect the programme will create up to 1,500 new jobs and safeguard a further 1,500 which is absolutely brilliant news for the county.
"This has been such a tough year for businesses everywhere, but we are leading the fightback here in Shropshire and are absolutely dedicated to supporting economic growth.”
