MP fears enterprise zone may undermine area’s regeneration

The MP for Sheffield South East, Clive Betts, said yesterday that some places closest to the zone’s boundaries may become “sterile areas” for development and increasingly ignored by commercial leaders.

Mr Betts said he was particularly concerned about areas such as the formerly industrial district Attercliffe, which lies within his constituency and has undergone a large amount of redevelopment in recent decades.

At the end of last month, the Government announced that a bid for an enterprise zone by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) which covers the so-called Sheffield city region had been approved.

The city region covers Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Rotherham, and the districts of Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire and the enterprise zone will cover three separate sites.

Mr Betts said his concerns focused on the zone which will be created around the existing Advanced Manufacturing Park at Waverley, alongside the A630 Sheffield Parkway, which aims to attract new manufacturing firms.

He added: “Everyone hopes that the enterprise zone will be successful and provide a catalyst for nurturing and encouraging the development of new manufacturing businesses.

“However, the evidence from enterprise zones in the 1980s was that, because of the financial incentives, they tempted the relocation of existing businesses rather than created additional development.

“I am particularly concerned about the impact the zone will have on the continuing regeneration of Attercliffe. Sheffield City Council has only recently adopted an action plan for the area.

“I believe this will need to be updated to take account of the enterprise zone to ensure that momentum isn’t lost and that those plans can be realised.

“I have already spoken to James Newman, the chairman of the Sheffield City Region LEP about my concerns.

“I have now written to council chief executive John Mothersole to ask him what action the authority intends to take.”

South Yorkshire was one of only four areas nationally to win Government approval to set up an enterprise zone.

Alongside the Advanced Manufacturing Park site, Sheffield LEP’s proposed zone takes in manufacturing land at Markham Vale, near Bolsover and an area in the Dearne Valley.

Yesterday, Sheffield Council said its Attercliffe action plan already took into account Mr Betts’s concerns and said the authority aimed to attract “different types of industry” to the area.

Mr Mothersole said: “We have already written to Mr Betts in response to his concerns. We remain committed to the Attercliffe action plan and it’s delivery over the coming years.

“Of course we need significant investment to make this happen and as a council we are committed to delivering our vision for the area, which we are working to secure funding for.

“The fact that Sheffield is one of only four places in the country that has been earmarked for an enterprise zone is fantastic. The Enterprise Zone is focused on growth within the advanced engineering and technology sectors.

“The Attercliffe Action Plan addresses the mix of retail and trade that Attercliffe has. The enterprise zone addresses city region priorities, although we are fully committed to ensuring that local people reap the benefits of job growth and economy stimulation.

“This isn’t about quick wins, this is about a long term vision to transform Attercliffe and ensure its long term success. What we want to do is to breathe that life back into Attercliffe and the Action Plan aims to do just that.”