An industrial and business park invested in by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership – which has created more than 700 jobs to date and expects to see hundreds more – has been praised by visiting Minister for Local Growth, James Wharton MP.
The Markham Vale site (aerial view below) is a 200 acre business and industrial park, on the former Seymour Colliery, next to junction 29a of the M1 motorway, in north Derbyshire. It is a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments and Derbyshire County Council, which also receives investment from both the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Sheffield City Region LEP (with part of the site falling within the Sheffield LEP’s Enterprise Zone).
New figures released by Derbyshire County Council show that around 732 jobs have been created on the whole Markham Vale site to date, with an anticipated 700 more in the pipeline, from companies looking to locate or expand there.
Companies already on the Markham Vale site include AW Repair Group, Industrial Ancillaries, Andrew Page, Holdsworth Foods and Ready Egg Products. Companies due to locate there include national distribution and warehousing company Great Bear, which will move onsite next year (2016), creating 400 jobs.
Earlier this month (August) D2N2 agreed to invest £2.52m in the planned £7.5m Seymour Link Road, which will link Markham Vale to junction 29a of the M1 motorway.
James Wharton MP, Government Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse, visited the Markham Vale site yesterday (August 27), with Derbyshire County Council Leader Councillor Anne Western, to see work being carried out there.
Mr Wharton said: “Enterprise Zones have a major role to play in the success of the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine, as today’s job announcement shows.
“I have been really impressed with the levels of close co-operation I have seen here at Markham Vale.”
Peter Richardson, Chairman of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “With our partners at Derbyshire County Council and the Sheffield City Region LEP we are investing heavily in the infrastructure of the site. For example, through D2N2’s joint funding of the £7.5m Seymour Link Road, to link Markham Vale to junction 29a of the M1 motorway.
“This will make the site even more attractive for businesses to base themselves there, further stimulating the economy and creating jobs.”
Councillor Western said: “We’re working hard to attract businesses to Markham from outside the county but also provide a top-rate business park where home-grown businesses can expand and keep Derbyshire jobs in Derbyshire.
“The latest figures show just how far we’ve come since Industrial Ancillaries became the first firm to move onsite six years ago.”
For more information about Markham Vale see its website HERE.
To learn more about the D2N2 LEP’s investment in Enterprise Zones see the web link HERE.
Media wanting further information about the work of the D2N2 LEP can contact the D2N2 Newsdesk via Communications Officer Sean Kirby on 0115 9578749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
