Around 130 business representatives at a leading commercial property agent’s event this morning (February 4) heard how the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership is investing in its area’s development.
The Innes England’s Market Insite event, at Friar Gate Square, Derby city-centre, looked at the economy and commercial property ‘offer’ of Derby and Derbyshire. It is one of a series of Market Insite 2016 events the company has arranged this month; with a Nottingham focused one held yesterday (Wednesday), a Leicester event to be held tomorrow (February 5) and a final event in London next Wednesday (February 10).
D2N2 LEP Chairman Peter Richardson (pictured) was an invited speaker at today’s Derby event. Presentations were also given by Christine Durrant, Acting Strategic Director of Communities and Place at Derby City Council; with a Market Insite overview from senior Innes England experts.
D2N2 – the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire – is a private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, community groups and other organisations working to grow its area’s economy. The LEP has an over-arching aim of creating 55,000 new jobs in ten years (2013-2023).
Peter spoke today about major projects which D2N2 has co-funded, chiefly through its £192million Local Growth Fund allocation from Government, to help build a stronger economic infrastructure and encourage commercial development. These projects include:
- Infinity Park site in Derby, part of the Nottingham and Derby Enterprise Zone – A 100 acre prime commercial and technology park next to Derby City which provides attractive incentives such as reduced business rates and superfast broadband for companies which choose to locate there.
- The Markham Vale Enterprise Zone – One of the largest UK commercial parks, jointly invested in by D2N2, the Sheffield City Region LEP and Derbyshire County Council – with units from 3,000 to 750,000 sq ft. D2N2 is also providing a third of the money (£2.52m) for the new £7.5m Seymour Link Road, linking Markham Vale to Junction 29a of the M1 motorway.
- Castleward, Derby – D2N2 has invested £850,000 from its Growing Places Fund to help speed development of 30 acres of brownfield site near Derby Midland Station, the first phase of which will yield approximately 16,500 sq ft of commercial space and 164 residential units.
- Full Street Magistrates Court, Derby – £515,000 from D2N2’s Growing Places Fund has helped transform the former court buildings into ‘Riverside Chambers’, a studios and offices space with attached restaurant-café.
- Our City, Our River – D2N2 is to provide up to £12million in Local Growth Fund monies towards this phased £95m flood defence and cycle connectivity project, which will also ‘unlock’ access to hectares of brownfield land for future development along the River Derwent, in Derby City and Pride Park.
- D2N2 Sustainable travel programme – £5.8m to cover a range of sustainable transport measures across the D2N2 area, as a way of opening access to potential development sites, as well as encouraging cycle use to work and making development zones more attractive.
- Ashbourne Airfield – £1million in D2N2 funding is set to be approved (subject to business plan) this financial year (2015/16), towards a new access and link road; to ‘unlock’ development land for homes, factories and offices.
Peter Richardson said: “I truly believe the D2N2 area is the UK’s most inspirational postcode. Events such as today’s give me an opportunity to shout about the work the LEP is doing to boost and develop its economy as we seek to improve the quality of business, and living and education in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. It is also important to bring about an ever greater degree of public and private sector partnership, an essential element of the work we do.”
To learn more about what the LEP is doing with its Local Growth Fund allocation, click here.
For more information on the work of the D2N2 LEP’s wider activities, click here.
Media wanting more information about the D2N2 LEP can contact D2N2 Social Media and Marketing Officer Sam Burbage on 0115 957 8254 or email: sam.burbage@d2n2lep.org
