A hi-tech aerospace firm with a global reach and a craft bakery selling fresh bread in Ilkley may not, on the face of it, seem to have too much in common.

But both have been beneficiaries of a scheme designed to encourage new businesses to set up and existing ones to expand.

Set up by Bradford Council, the District Growth Scheme offers rate relief to eligible operations in Bingley, Shipley, Keighley, Ilkley town centres, and the surrounding areas.

Based on the successful City Centre Growth Scheme, it provides businesses with financial incentives to invest and expand operations in the Bradford district, create new jobs and bring empty and heritage buildings back into use.

It offers rate reductions of up to £170,000 over three years.

The firms to benefit from the district scheme so far are Moin Moin Bakerei in Ilkley and Produmax in Baildon.

Shelagh O’Neill, Bradford Council’s Assistant Director for Economy and Development at Bradford Council, said of the scheme: “Our city centre scheme has proved extremely popular and is really successful in attracting investment and encouraging businesses to grow and expand, so it’s great that we can now extend it across the whole of the district with our District Growth Scheme.

“We are delighted to be able to offer this additional business support across the district, particularly in our main town centres of Bingley, Ilkley, Keighley and Shipley.

“It’s great to see high-tech precision engineering firms like Produmax investing in the district and we are really please that they have been successful in their application for this funding and that we have been able to supporting their continued growth.

Bradford Council

“The Moin Moin Bakerei has also benefited from rate relief from the scheme and has been able to expand the business and open a shop in Ilkley. We wish these companies every success with their plans for the future.

“These two growth schemes have created new jobs and are helping to drive real economic growth not just in the city centre but across the whole of the district.

They are available to businesses from across the district and to those from outside the district wanting to relocate.

“Bradford is a great place to do business, so any company looking for investment opportunities should contact our Invest in Bradford team who can tell them about the kind of support we can offer as well as the help we can give with their applications.”

The scheme has three key areas it awards funding under: new investment rate relief, heritage building relief, or town centre relief.

Aerospace firm Produmax bought a unit on the Sapper Jordan Rossi Park in Baildon last year, and was eligible for investment relief on expansion and new equipment.

The firm has been granted £100,000 in rates relief on investment that will allow it to expand its operations and create 20 new apprenticeships and skilled engineering jobs.

Produmax is investing more than £500,000 in new machinery and fit out so it can meet increasing demand for its high-quality commercial and military aircraft components for markets in North America, Mexico, Italy, Austria, China and Japan.

The apprentices will train at Keighley College, which runs courses in mechanical manufacturing engineering, business improvement techniques and mechanical engineering Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “We are thrilled to see cutting-edge firms such as Produmax expanding and creating jobs within Bradford district.

“ It’s great to see these high value aerospace jobs include new apprenticeships which will be provided locally.”

Moin Moin Bäckerei, which was founded in Rawdon, was awarded £6,000 rates relief under the scheme to expand its operations and open a craft bakery in Ilkley.

Based in Brook Street, Ilkley, it stocks a range of 27 different breads, 40 confectionery items, sandwiches, and artisan coffee.

Breads include sourdough, spelt, and honey loaves, as well as Fränzbrotchen imported from Hamburg, where the inspiration for the shop was first thought of by owner Liam Wilton.

The company has invested £45,000 in fitting out the shop and new equipment, and has hired three new members of staff.

Liam Wilton took over the Moin Moin after living in the German city of Hamburg for four years.

The City Growth Scheme was set up in 2012 and has drawn investment and jobs into the heart of Bradford, resulting in Barclays naming Bradford as the best city in the UK to start a business in 2017.

Since it was set up, the city scheme has supported over 235 small businesses, helping them to create 739 new jobs. It has assisted 49 new business start-ups and has led to the reoccupation of 94 previously vacant premises.

So far, only two applications have been made for the district fund, and both have been successful, although there have been a number of inquiries made.

But the scheme is only available for a limited time, and will close to new applications in just under a year, on 31 March 2020.

Eligible businesses can submit an application to the Council. Firms are advised to make initial contact with the Invest in Bradford team and a business advisor can then check eligibility and assist with the application process.

“I encourage any business looking for investment opportunities to contact our team who can tell them about the kind of support we offer”

Cllr Ross-Shaw.

For more information about the scheme visit investinbradford.com or call 01274 437727.

IT’S GREAT TO SEE HIGH-TECH PRECISION ENGINEERING FIRMS LIKE PRODUMAX INVESTING IN THE DISTRICT…

I ENCOURAGE ANY BUSINESS LOOKING FOR INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTACT OUR TEAM WHO CAN TELL THEM ABOUT THE KIND OF SUPPORT WE OFFER…

They can apply under three elements:

1 New investment relief – This is for supporting businesses undertaking investment in new build property or locating to previously unused commercial space. Eligible occupying businesses will be granted 100 percent relief on payment of business rates for up to three years. The business has to create a minimum of 20 full-time jobs and the relief is granted to the tenant of the space, not the developer/landlord.

2 Heritage building relief – This is offered to companies that bring either a listed, historic or other significant heritage building back into active commercial use. Eligible businesses will be granted rate relief on a sliding scale over three year period. Year 1 – 100 percent, Year 2 – 50 percent, and Year 3 – 25 percent.

3 Town centre relief – This is available for a business moving into previously vacant premises or expanding into unoccupied space within the district’s four principle towns of Keighley, Shipley, Ilkley and Bingley. Eligible businesses will be granted rate relief for 12 months. The aim is to encourage occupation of vacant premises or floorspace. The business must be creating new jobs.