Wilson-era park wins new status

Langthwaite Business Park, one of the UK’s first enterprise zones under the Thatcher régime, has now become a Business Improvement District (BID) after local companies voted in favour of collectively funding £800,000 worth of services over the next five years.

By The Newsroom

Published 26th Apr 2011, 07:00 BST

The first of its kind in Yorkshire and the Humber and one of just 120 in the UK, the Langthwaite BID is the culmination of years of work by the Wakefield District Development Agency, the Langthwaite Business Association and other partners to see the park become self-sustainable.

The Langthwaite BID will see resident businesses fund and take control of key projects and services to sustain a safe and prosperous operating environment.

The ballots cast were overwhelmingly in favour of the BID, with 85 per cent of the ballots returned as positive, said a spokesman for the project.

Projects and services agreed as part of the five-year plan include estate management, security patrols, gritting and running the CCTV control centre.

Harold Wilson opened the park in 1949 when President of the Board of Trade. It was expected to create work for women of the area as men were predominantly employed in the local collieries.