Hundreds of new jobs will be created on the South Coast thanks to a £25 million investment in the Solent Enterprise Zone. This was announced last week by Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary.
The investment will help unlock the area’s economic potential and deliver 1,200 local jobs on the site of the former HMS Daedalus airfield at Lee-on-the-Solent. The development will include a limited amount of residential property alongside a huge commercial property expansion designed to attract advanced manufacturers to the business park.
The money for the project is coming from a number of sources which includes £8 million from Solent Enterprise Partnership’s Growing Places Fund, £4.1 million from Hampshire County Council and a further £1.5 million from the Regional Growth Fund. There will also be a £3 million investment in a training centre on the site run by Fareham College.
Speaking about the investment, the Secretary of State said; “This over £25 million boost for the Solent Enterprise Zone will unlock its huge potential to deliver growth, homes and jobs and make a real difference to Gosport. It is local business and commerce that creates the growth and jobs this country needs.”
The cash boost will help pave the way for the creation of even more jobs in the future. The target is that Solent Enterprise Zone will support 3,500 jobs by 2026.
Councillor Ken Thornber, the leader of Hampshire Council, welcomed the investment and emphasised that the project will benefit the wider area.
He said; “The County Council believes that the Solent Enterprise Zone can become the jewel in the UKs advanced manufacturing crown, which is why we are supporting the project with substantial investment. This includes improvements to the often congested Newgate Lane, which will be of benefit to the entire Gosport community.”
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